Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy revealed that the club and cornerback Joey Porter Jr. are at an impasse regarding a contract extension as training camp continues. Porter remains on the physically unable to perform list with a back issue, entering the final year of his rookie deal.
The business side of professional football has taken center stage in Pittsburgh as the team prepares for the upcoming season. While the cornerback market around the NFL has seen significant movement—highlighted by Seattle’s Devon Witherspoon agreeing to a massive new deal and New England offering Christian Gonzalez a new contract—Porter and the franchise remain at odds over his future compensation.
Contract Impasse and Training Camp Absence
Porter has yet to take the practice field during training camp, remaining sidelined on the Physically Unable to Perform list due to a back issue that flared up during a mobility test. The Steelers placed Porter on the physically unable to perform list when training camp opened with what the team described as a back issue that flared up during a mobility test. It seems Porter’s back problems are just part of the reason he has yet to take the practice field with the season opener against Atlanta less than three weeks away. The situation echoes his approach from the previous year, when he participated in individual drills but skipped full 11-on-11 work during minicamp in a classic hold-in maneuver.
Entering the final year of the four-year rookie contract he signed after being selected with the first pick of the second round in 2023, Porter is due to make $3.924 million this season. While Pittsburgh has locked up other members of that draft class — including outside linebacker Nick Herbig and tight end Darnell Washington — Porter’s status seems a little more uncertain. The 26-year-old is coming off his best season as a pro, and he said during minicamp in June that he long felt he’s one of the top players at his position and that he believes he will be paid that way. Though Porter, who has three interceptions across three seasons, might not be in that neighborhood yet, he also might not be far off. Though he has deep ties to Pittsburgh — he grew up in the city while his father, Joey Porter Sr., played and then later coached for the Steelers — he didn’t rush to sign his rookie deal in 2023, waiting until the eve of training camp to do it. Porter essentially “held in” during minicamp, participating in individual drills but staying out of full 11-on-11 work, a not uncommon tactic by players seeking new contracts.
“I learned this in my early years as a head coach, you have to separate the business from the football. Sometimes it’s easier than others. This is a challenge for both Joey and us because we’re first-year staff. We’ve seen them play, compete against Joey. I would love the opportunity to coach Joey Porter. I know our defensive guys would love the opportunity. So we’re at an impasse right here, and you got to respect that. Every one of us has a contract. The organization, they have beliefs and so forth. But yeah, that’s just kind of where we are.”
Mike McCarthy, Pittsburgh Steelers coach, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN
McCarthy acknowledged the unique difficulty of the negotiation, noting that the entirety of Pittsburgh’s defensive staff is in its first season, which adds an extra layer of complexity to evaluating and integrating the roster.
“Every one of us has a contract. The organization, they have beliefs and so forth. So that’s where we are.”
Mike McCarthy, Pittsburgh Steelers coach, via NFL.com
Roster Depth and Leverages Shifts
While Porter seeks a new deal, the Steelers have quietly fortified their secondary. The franchise wants him on the field, but the front office brought back Asante Samuel Jr., signed Jamel Dean in free agency, and drafted Daylen Everette in the third round. There is young and experienced blood in the cornerback room, which already took some of the leverage away from Porter. Now, any potential advantage is getting smaller as the other cornerbacks are performing well during training camp. Head Coach Mike McCarthy spoke to the media on Friday morning, and he had some praise for the other guys in the room.
At the same time, other key pieces are returning to health. While Porter remains out, veteran defensive back Jalen Ramsey and rookie first-round offensive tackle Max Iheanachor returned to practice on Monday. Ramsey has been on the PUP list since the start of camp because of a knee injury sustained during minicamp in June. Iheanachor, taken 21st overall in the draft, hadn’t practiced since hurting his upper body on Aug. 6. McCarthy didn’t rule out Iheanachor making an appearance when Pittsburgh wraps up the preseason on Thursday night in Buffalo. We got two padded practices (this week), so it’ll be a really good indication of how much he’ll be able to play personally,
McCarthy said. We'll see how it goes.
Decisions Looming Ahead of Week 1
With the season opener against Atlanta fast approaching, time is running short for both sides to bridge the gap. The Steelers could play hardball with Porter, if his position lingers into Week 1. Or they could become exasperated and trade Porter to a new team. And Week 1 becomes even more important, given that the Steelers have a longstanding policy of not re-doing contracts when the season starts. So they’ll have a decision to make about how to handle Porter, if a deal doesn’t get done by Week 1 — and if Porter declines to play.
