165 tackles and 31 passes deflected in 41 starts, but the media is still speaking about the negatives? That is what the Pittsburgh Steelers’ cornerback, worth $9 million, has been upset about. Recently, Joey Porter Jr. appeared on the Blue Print podcast and opened up on the double standard of the media. He pointed fingers at the media for highlighting the negatives more than the positives and subsequently not giving him his due.
“I feel like I should have been in that rank in my rookie year,” said Joey Porter Jr. on the Blue Print podcast. “The media don’t see it that way, but the players, they respect it. They come up to me after every game. They tell me what it is and vice versa. Once I know the players and coaches respect what I’m doing, like it’s only so much I can do. But I feel like I have been that guy for a minute. Like, even my Year 2, I feel like I snapped my Year 2. Even though it wasn’t my best performance my whole season. ‘Cause I had so many penalties that year.”
Joey Porter Jr. has been a regular starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers since getting drafted in 2023. In his rookie year, he played 17 games (11 starts), recording 43 combined tackles (1 tackle for loss), 10 passes deflected, and an interception. Because of his performance, he made it to the PFWA All-Rookie Team. But Porter Jr. has been in the conversation of the top cornerbacks in the league.
According to him, his performances have always earned him praise. Linebacker T.J. Watt has praised him for his “game-changing” performance, especially the interception he made against the Baltimore Ravens. Besides that, he has also been praised by Steelers legend Mel Blount for his ability to be a top shutdown corner while navigating the technical challenges of modern defensive rules. Even former head coach Mike Tomlin doubled down on that point, highlighting his ability to “lock up” opponents like Atlanta Falcons’ Drake London.
Moreover, since the midway of his rookie season, he has played over 1,400 consecutive coverage snaps. Surprisingly, he has not allowed a touchdown in any of his coverages, maintaining an elite record, a touchdown-free streak. Despite such accomplishments, the media does not focus on them. According to the cornerback, they are busier speaking about his penalties, diminishing his shot to be regarded as one of the top CBs in the league.
Joey Porter Jr. feels the media prioritizes his penalties over his accomplishments
Joey Porter Jr. did not leave any stones unturned during the podcast. He called out every aspect of that media about how they prioritized his failures over his successes. His stats can get him to start for any top teams in the NFL. Yet, they haven’t said anything about him being a top defensive back.
“I feel like that’s what people really harp on my game about,” said Joey Porter Jr. “It is the PIs and the penalties. It is like you’ll hold no other DBs under that microscope or grade them under just that. I haven’t gave up a touchdown in three years… No wide receiver put over 50, 60 yards on my head alone, and I travel with the best of them. And they want to talk about penalties, and it’s like you can have that debate, but it gets to a certain point. Like, even to bring up penalties now this year, I have five, which equal something to like 50 some yards. You saying I’m not top five cause I had 50 yards and penalties. That’s crazy. The top DBs have more than that.”
Last season, the cornerback was in top form. He committed only six accepted penalties. Five of them were defensive pass interference, and one illegal contact penalty. It was a significant improvement from the 2024 season, where his penalty count crossed double digits. Those penalties resulted in a loss of only 56 yards.
