PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. will not play on Sunday against New England.
The club declared Porter out on Friday. Porter was listed as a limited participant during practice all week. The team described Porter’s limitation as conditioning-related early in the week before adding a designation on Thursday that indicated Porter was dealing with a back ailment.
The fourth-year pro was seen leaving practice Thursday with a team trainer, though he did some stretching on Friday during the portion of practice open to the media. The Steelers said Porter was available in the locker room on Friday, but he did not speak to reporters.
Porter’s second straight absence is set against the backdrop of stalled contract negotiations with the team. The son of former Steelers linebacker and assistant coach Joey Porter Sr. is entering the final year of the rookie deal he signed after being the first pick of the second round in 2023. Porter Jr. said in the spring he believed he was one of the best players at his position in the league and was confident he would receive the proper “respect” from the Steelers.
Porter’s teammates - from defensive lineman Cam Heyward to linebacker Patrick Queen to defensive back Jalen Ramsey - have given him their unequivocal support. Steelers secondary coach Joe Whitt said Friday that while Porter has been out or limited since tweaking his back during a mobility test on the eve of training camp, he has remained engaged elsewhere in the team facility.
“The guy has been really good in the meeting room all the time,” Whitt said. “They have a great rapport, the whole group, and he’s just a part of the group.”
Whitt said that Porter, who hasn’t allowed a touchdown pass as the primary defender since 2023, appears fully invested in Pittsburgh despite what looks and feels like a growing rift with the club.
“Everything that we’ve asked him to do, from a football standpoint, he’s done it,” Whitt said. “The health standpoint, I leave that to the trainer. So I believe the kid, his dad was here, why wouldn’t he want to be here, you know?”
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