The Pittsburgh Steelers opened the Mike McCarthy era with a 20-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons at Acrisure Stadium, but they did it without Joey Porter Jr. on the field. Pittsburgh made its top young cornerback inactive before kickoff as he continued working back from a summer-long back issue. After the win, McCarthy explained why the team decided Porter was not ready for game action.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike McCarthy during 2026 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Porter had been listed as questionable after practicing in a limited capacity throughout the week. His ongoing contract situation naturally created questions about whether the business side of things played any role in Pittsburgh's decision. McCarthy, however, continued to describe the absence as part of a carefully constructed physical ramp-up plan.
The encouraging part of McCarthy's update was what should happen next. Porter is expected to do additional work on Monday, and the Steelers hope to increase his practice snaps when they return to the field Wednesday. McCarthy laid out that timeline during his postgame press conference following his first regular-season victory as Pittsburgh's head coach.
"Yeah, Joey, just where we left off, I guess, the last time I talked to [the media] on Friday," McCarthy said. "I would clearly still put him as just finishing up the ramp-up stage as far as where he is. We sat down and talked about it and talked about the plan for next week. He's definitely ready to do more, so we'll see how it goes. He'll do something tomorrow, and hopefully we can take his snaps up on Wednesday."
That answer makes Porter's availability for Pittsburgh's Week 2 trip to face the New England Patriots realistic, although far from guaranteed. The Steelers want to see how his body responds before committing to a full workload. Wednesday would represent the next meaningful test.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Pittsburgh Steelers star cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) stands on the field while his teammates get a workout in during a 2026 training camp practice taking place at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
When a reporter asked whether Porter's inactive status was connected to his unresolved contract negotiations, McCarthy declined to venture into that part of the situation. He returned the focus to the physical plan Pittsburgh established for Porter last week.
"The business side of it is not really for me to speak on," McCarthy said. "We had a plan for him to do ramp-up workouts through last week, and that's really the timeline we're hopefully coming into."
McCarthy did not definitively say the contract played no role, but he offered no reason to dismiss the medical explanation. Porter spent most of the summer on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list before Pittsburgh activated him on Aug. 30. Giving him a full workload after such a limited buildup would have carried unnecessary risk.
The victory also prevented that cautious approach from becoming an immediate source of second-guessing. Had Pittsburgh lost because its secondary collapsed, McCarthy would have faced far more criticism for keeping Porter on the sideline. Instead, the available defenders justified his patience and bought Porter another week to prepare properly.
Steelers Defense Delivered While Porter Continued His Ramp-Up
The Steelers remained patient because their defense produced several game-changing plays without Porter. Pittsburgh intercepted Cooper Rush twice, sacked him four times and allowed only 13 points. It was not flawless, but the defense delivered when the game demanded it.
TJ Watt led that effort with two sacks, three tackles for loss and an interception for a score. His fourth-quarter pick-six turned a narrow 13-10 advantage into a 20-10 lead and ultimately supplied the winning margin. Alex Highsmith added two sacks, giving Pittsburgh consistent pressure from both edges.
The revamped secondary showed it can survive short stretches without Porter. Jaquan Brisker intercepted Rush and returned the ball to Atlanta's 31-yard line, setting up Pittsburgh's only offensive touchdown. Cameron Heyward knocked down three passes, while Payton Wilson led the defense with 13 tackles.
Atlanta still stressed Pittsburgh through Bijan Robinson, who accumulated 83 rushing yards and 90 receiving yards. That showed why getting Porter back remains important as the Steelers encounter more dangerous passing attacks. McCarthy's first regular-season decision involving Porter worked because Pittsburgh won without rushing him back, but Wednesday's expected increase must now become legitimate preparation for New England.
How confident are you that Porter will return against the Patriots, and what stood out most about the Pittsburgh Steelers' defense without him? Share your Steelers takes with me on X (@anthonyghalkias), and follow for more coverage and discussion surrounding Joey Porter Jr. and Pittsburgh's 2026 season.
#SteelerNation