The storyline is well known at this point with the Pittsburgh Steelers and rookie second-round draft pick Joey Porter Jr.
He’s returning home to a locker room and facility he knows well, where his father played for many years and later coached. It’s a locker room and facility that Porter grew up in. Now, he’s going to work in it as he starts his professional career.
Outside of the heartwarming, feel-good family lineage storyline that is playing out with Porter in the Black and Gold, on the field there’s a real story developing as well. Porter shockingly fell out of the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City and now enters the NFL with a real chip on his shoulder.
For Good Morning Football’s Jason McCourty, Porter is the rookie defensive back he’s “most excited to see” in 2023 due to that chip on his shoulder, as well as the overall skill set he has as a long, physical cornerback that is the prototype for today’s NFL.
“Day 2 of the NFL Draft, he ends up going to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Dad was an All-Pro, Pro Bowl-type player, won a Super Bowl. Joey Porter Jr. ends up following in his footsteps. I want to see the chip on this guy’s shoulder when he goes out there to prove all 32 teams wrong for passing on him in the first round,” McCourty said highlighting Porter as the rookie defensive back he’s most excited to see. “A big, physical corner. Loves to get in your face, loves to tackle, and he has a veteran in the room with him in Patrick Peterson that he can learn from. He said he wants to wear number 24 following in Ike Taylor’s footsteps, a guy he grew up watching; Ike played with a ton of attitude. I can’t wait to watch how Joey Porter Jr. shows up out there on game day.”
At this point, the clip of Porter being talked to by his father as he fell out of the first round is well known. Porter, who was a fiery, edgy player during his time in the NFL as an outside linebacker, spoke to his son telling him to use it as motivation and take it personal.
Porter is seemingly taking his father’s advice and told reporters following his selection by the Steelers at No. 32 overall to open the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft that he has a “chip on his shoulder” entering the NFL.
“It was great. Last night, I was mad. I had the edge on me. This is a perfect way to end my day right here. I just forgot all about last night and shoot, I’m ready. I got a chip on my shoulder. I’m trying to prove myself. It adds a little more fuel to the fire, and that just gives me even greater reason to go out and put on for Steeler Nation and my pops and everything,” Porter Jr. said via 93.7 The Fan on Twitter.
Porter is going to be a good fit in Pittsburgh and should be exciting to watch right away, much like McCourty is looking forward to. Not only does he have the family name that’s legendary in Pittsburgh, but he’s joining a team that needs cornerback help and he can be mentored by a potential future Hall of Famer in Patrick Peterson, like McCourty pointed out.
Having that chip on his shoulder, coupled with his play style, makes him a strong fit in Pittsburgh. Add in the #24 he’s going to wear like Ike Taylor, and it’s almost perfect. It’s going to be exciting to see Porter hit the field later this week when rookie minicamp kicks off. He’s going to be competing for playing time with Peterson and Levi Wallace, but his physicality and length at the line of scrimmage should earn him some reps as a rookie. Hopefully, one day his name will go down in Steelers history just like his dad’s.
