James Harrison Exposes Harmful $30M Rumor Targeting Joey Porter Jr.: “Nobody Connected to the Steelers”

The Pittsburgh Steelers have spent much of the 2026 offseason attempting to reach a long-term agreement with Joey Porter Jr. As those negotiations have continued, one number has repeatedly shaped the public conversation: $30 million per season.

That figure has led some fans to believe Porter is demanding a contract reserved for the NFL's most accomplished cornerbacks. However, neither Porter, his representatives nor the Steelers have publicly confirmed that asking price. Nevertheless, the number has been repeated often enough to become accepted as fact in some conversations.

Steelers legend James Harrison decided to investigate where the claim originated. Harrison, who refers to Porter as his nephew because of his relationship with former teammate Joey Porter Sr., argued Tuesday morning on Deebo & Joe that the entire narrative can be traced to speculation from former NFL general manager Pat Kirwan.

"If he wants $30 million and all that, I started looking at where it said that," Harrison said. "Bruh, it was a rumor from a former GM. It was a former GM who said it was reported that the contract ask got harsh pushback. A former NFL GM, not our GM, not anybody else, nobody connected to the Steelers. That's where the $30 million came from."

Harrison's central point is supported by the wording that launched the discussion. During an appearance on Movin' the Chains, Kirwan did not report Porter's asking price as established information. He introduced it by saying, "The rumor is that he wants $30 million." That distinction became blurred as the figure spread. Subsequent stories, radio discussions and social media posts treated $30 million as Porter's demand, creating a narrative that may or may not have ever been accurate.

The speculation has not completely changed how Steelers fans view Porter, but it has encouraged some to judge him for supposedly seeking a confirmed amount. Harrison believes too much of the contract discussion has been built upon information that neither side has publicly validated.

"What is going on? All of this stuff is from the rumor mill," Harrison said. "What happened to the $25 million he was supposed to get and all that? There wasn't an offer for $25 million. That's a rumor too. There wasn't anything for $30 million. Everything points back to this former GM who made up a rumor, or said it was something that happened, that nobody has any actual information on."

Harrison continued by noting that neither party has publicly attached itself to those numbers.

"The Steelers don't have anything saying they offered this or that," Harrison said. "Porter doesn't have anything saying, 'We want this or we want that.' What is going on? I don't understand."

Harrison is right to challenge the certainty surrounding the claim. That does not necessarily mean Porter's actual expectations are dramatically lower. The cornerback market continues to rise, and Porter's representatives have every reason to negotiate within that reality. Devon Witherspoon recently reset the market by signing a four-year, $132 million extension with the Seattle Seahawks. That deal averages $33 million annually and gives Porter another benchmark to use during negotiations. A realistic asking price could still fall between $28 million and more than $30 million per season.

The difference is that an informed projection is not the same as a confirmed demand. Porter's camp seeking top-market money would make financial sense, but it should not be presented as fact without direct reporting from someone connected to the negotiations.

Steelers Face Real Pressure To Complete Porter Deal

The external noise is not the greatest source of pressure on Pittsburgh. General Manager Omar Khan traditionally ends contract negotiations once the regular season begins, leaving both sides with a legitimate deadline approaching.

Porter deserves to be evaluated on his performance and realistic market value rather than an unverified number that gained momentum through repetition. Harrison's deep dive will not end the speculation, but it provides an important reminder about how quickly rumors can harden into accepted truths. The Steelers and Porter may ultimately agree to a contract near $30 million annually. If they do, it will be because the modern cornerback market brought them there, not because one offseason rumor proved accurate.

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