One of the most important parts of playing cornerback in the NFL is having confidence. Regardless of whether you’re playing man, zone, or even getting help in double coverage, you’ve got to have confidence in yourself. Second-year Pittsburgh Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. isn’t lacking for that judging by his comments to The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly about being the best corner in the league.
Porter’s father, former Steelers OLB Joey Porter Sr., didn’t lack confidence in himself, either. Perhaps its hereditary, perhaps it’s something that was instilled in Porter by his father from a young age. It is something that wasn’t lost on former Cincinnati Bengals WR Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson after he heard Porter’s comments.
“I like it,” Johnson said on Tuesday night’s episode of the Nightcap with Shannon Sharpe. “If you’re gonna talk, you got to walk it. Ask your pops, Joey Porter, ask your pops how we used to go at it. One of the greatest trash talkers of all time in Joey Porter, much respect to him. But I like this. I like this. Put the league on notice. This is what you got to do, come out, create you some bulletin-board material.”
During his playing career, Johnson was known to be one of the most colorful characters in the league. But he backed it up with his performance on the field. The same could be said for Porter Sr., and the two clashed multiple times throughout their NFL careers. Evidently, that made Johnson respect the Steelers linebacker, and now he sees the same from Porter Jr.
That isn’t the only former Steelers player Johnson wants to see Porter Jr. emulate, either. While Johnson and Porter Sr. may have had more of a war of words, it wasn’t like the two were constantly going at it down the field. That honor was reserved for another cornerback who wore No. 24.
“Now what you got to do, even though you’re a Steeler I love you to death, you got to follow in the footsteps of some of the greatest that have come through there,” Johnson said. “Now if you’re gonna talk it like that, now you got to come and show up like somebody that I know… There’s a great 24 that gave me hell for a decade straight in Ike Taylor, a great one. So if you gonna talk it, all you got to do is walk it.”
It’s no coincidence that Porter wears the number 24. He does this specifically because of his relationship with his “uncle” Taylor, who approves wholeheartedly. And Porter’s rookie season showed he’s worthy of carrying that legacy.
Porter was targeted 57 times and allowed 27 receptions, per Pro Football Reference. He only allowed one passing touchdown while recording one interception and six pass breakups. Opposing quarterbacks only had a 68.8 passer rating when targeting him.
Porter proved that he could run with some of the best wide receivers in the league over the course of his rookie season. He even pushed to do so, asking head coach Mike Tomlin to put him on Tennessee Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins. When he handled that, he continued to draw the toughest assignments and acquitted himself well.
Continuing to perform at that level will cement Porter’s status as one of the best corners in the league. Johnson likes what he’s hearing and seeing from the young corner but warned him as well.
“Most of the people don’t let it be known publicly,” Johnson said about having that level of confidence. “Because once you let it be known publicly, now you have a target on your back. Now they gonna come at you, now they gonna throw at you.”
Based on Porter’s past requests and play on the field, I don’t think he’s going to be troubled by that at all.
