Joey Porter Jr.
Cam Heyward didn’t know whether Joey Porter would play yesterday, but he’s confident the fourth-year man isn’t going anywhere. Dealing with a purported back injury as his period for negotiating a contract extension came and went, the talented cornerback sat out the Steelers’ season opener. Whether and when he might return to the field is a matter for debate—as are potential trade destinations.
“I had no idea”, Heyward admitted on his Not Just Football podcast after the game, whether Porter was going to play or not. “Obviously, we want Joey out there, but if he’s not out there, we’ve got to make sure that’s not the reason why we can’t play well”.
With Porter sidelined, Asante Samuel Jr. started in his place. Facing third-string QB Cooper Rush, the defense really stifled the Falcons’ offense outside of RB Bijan Robinson, who had the majority of Atlanta’s receiving yards.
The Steelers drafted Joey Porter Jr. in the second round in 2023. He gradually rose to full-time starter by the middle of his rookie season, drawing one-on-one assignments. Coming off his best season in 2025, he expected to sign a massive contract extension this offseason.
For whatever reason, Porter and the Steelers did not come to terms. According to reports, they will not be negotiating during the season, as is their long-standing policy. That means that, barring a trade or him sitting out the season, resulting in his contract tolling, he would be slated to hit unrestricted free agency in 2027.
“I wish it would’ve got done, not my decision, but I still think he’s going to be a Pittsburgh Steeler in the future, and I just want to support Joey the best way I can and hopefully he comes back to us whenever he’s ready and we’ll go from there”, Heyward said of Porter after the game, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN. As captured by Mark Kaboly, he reiterated, “I feel like Joey’s still gonna be a Pittsburgh Steeler long after this. Hopefully they can just work that out”.
Cam Heyward on Joey Porter Jr: "I wish it would've got done, not my decision, but I still think he's going to be a Pittsburgh Steeler in the future, and I just want to support Joey the best way I can and hopefully he comes back to us whenever he's ready and we'll go from there."
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) September 13, 2026
Cam Heyward on JPJ pic.twitter.com/bAmMNprjcQ
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) September 13, 2026
Porter mysteriously popped up with a back injury at the start of training camp, spending the entire duration on the PUP List. The prevailing belief is that the process was a ruse to keep him shielded from scrutiny and media responsibilities during a contract “hold in”. He has spoken to the media a couple times since the preseason ended, most notably expressing pessimism at the end of last week that a deal would be signed.
It’s not clear, given his time missed, whether Porter would have played yesterday even with a contract. But that is neither here or nor there at this point. What matters going forward is when he will play again—and possibly in what uniform. Reports have indicated that the Steelers are willing to listen to trade offers.
It seems unlikely, however, that a team would be able to satisfy both Pittsburgh’s asking price and Porter’s contract demands. And in a situation like this, one of the two won’t cut it. At this point, there is little else to do but have the best season one can.