Former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Joey Porter told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com today that he intends on retiring this year as a member of the Steelers after 13 years in the league.
“I plan on retiring this year,” Porter told Rapoport today on the driving range before a practice round of the American Century Celebrity Golf Classic in South Lake Tahoe. “I already talked to the Steelers, put some plans together on signing with the Steelers and retiring as a Steeler. It was a good career. I have no regrets about nothing.”
Porter, who was originally drafted by the Steelers in the 3rd round of the 1999 NFL draft, told Rapoport that it was his health that ultimately led to his decision to retire. “Not being able to get 100 percent healthy to play at the level I am accustomed to playing at,” Porter said, telling about the reason. “The last two years, I tried to play and I wasn’t out there as healthy as I’ve been in the past. This year, I knew my knee wasn’t getting any better as far as this season. It made the decision kinda easy, actually.”
Porter played in Pittsburgh for his first 8 seasons in the league and recorded 327 total tackles to go along with 60 regular season sacks and 10 interceptions in addition. He was released in March of 2007 to clear salary cap room and landed with the Miami Dolphins, where he played the next three seasons. The Dolphins granted Porter, a four-time Pro Bowler, his request for a release in 2010 and he went on to sign a three-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals. Porter started 14 games for the Cardinals in 2010, but just 5 last season as a result of a knee injury, which ultimately landed him on injured reserve.
Porter, who finished his career with 170 starts, 503 tackles and 98 sacks, looks forward to retiring with the Steelers. “That’s where I started at,” Porter told Rapoport. “It’ll be an honor to go out there and retire as a Steeler. Started there, end there. Thirteen years. I never thought I’d play that long when I first started.”
