Joey Porter Jr. didn’t want to make a splashy headline. He didn’t want to guarantee or demand or assume he’ll start for the Pittsburgh Steelers Week One. Not that you’d expect him to say that, even if his father was as brash as they come. Instead, Porter will hope to see action against the San Francisco 49ers. And let Mike Tomlin decide his fate.
Speaking to reporters following Thursday’s 24-0 win over the Atlanta Falcons, Porter was asked if he thinks he’ll start.
“I have no idea,” Porter said via the team website. “I’m gonna leave that to the boss man and the people upstairs to make that decision.”
Those people, of course, referring primarily to Mike Tomlin but also the front office led by GM Omar Khan, who is putting together a 53-man roster for the second time after being named Kevin Colbert’s replacement in May 2022.
Porter fell in April’s draft, viewed as a likely first-round pick who tumbled out of Thursday night. It led to an emotional moment between himself and Joey Porter Sr. And in the end, Porter’s fall worked out perfectly. Pittsburgh held the top pick of the second round and selected Porter, keeping him at home and playing for the team his dad played for and coached.
When healthy, his summer has been strong. He’s used his length well and walked the line of not being overly grabby. A hard worker, he’s worked on his hands and picked off a pair of passes in training camp while netting his first pick in his NFL debut against the Buffalo Bills.
Porter isn’t predicting he’ll start but like any rookie, he’s hoping to see the field as soon as possible.
“You always want that for yourself, but I just gotta keep coming in with the same attitude,” Porter said. “Try to get better every day.”
In reality, Porter is unlikely to check that “starter” box in Week One. He’s in line to work in sub-packages, playing in nickel when Patrick Peterson slides inside for obvious pass situations and in dime packages when Peterson will do the same. In the Steelers’ lone dime snap of the preseason, it was Porter replacing Peterson on the outside at left corner.
It’s a way to get him snap counts and contribute to the team, especially in critical situations like third down and two-minute, without putting too much on his plate. But if Porter keeps being assignment-sound while making plays, the Steelers will have to find more ways to get him out there.
