The Pittsburgh Steelers did not have Joey Porter Jr. available for their 20-13 Week 1 win over the Atlanta Falcons, and the reason has been debated ever since. Porter entered the opener with a back injury and an unresolved contract situation, creating an obvious question about whether the inactive decision came from the player or the organization. Mike McCarthy gave his clearest answer Monday.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike McCarthy stands on the field and looks on as he watches the team workout during a 2026 training camp practice taking place at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
When asked directly who made the call, McCarthy did not hide behind a vague explanation. He said it was his decision, grounding it in Porter's training workload and ramp-up process. He also acknowledged that the business component exists, but said it belongs in a separate conversation.
That distinction is important. McCarthy did not claim the contract situation is imaginary or provide a return timeline. He framed Sunday's absence as a football decision based on whether a player is prepared to participate fully, the same standard Pittsburgh would apply to any player who had not cleared training camp's early stages.
"It was my decision. I'm in charge of the 48, and you have a week of training, and we spoke a couple times last week," McCarthy said. "My concern for Joey, obviously, is to get him to a spot no different than anybody else in training camp. If there are players that got through that first ramp-up period that are not ready to go, they don't participate fully in the padded practice. I don't see that any different than that. Now, it is different because of the business component, but that's really a whole other topic."
It was a stronger statement than simply saying Porter was still working his way back. McCarthy took ownership of a decision that could have become a distraction after Pittsburgh sat one of its most important defenders. He also gave the Steelers a clear public position: Porter was not inactive because he chose to remove himself from the lineup.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike McCarthy after a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Acrisure Stadium.
Pittsburgh's defense survived the immediate challenge without him. TJ Watt recorded two sacks and a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown, while Alex Highsmith added two sacks of his own. The Steelers also received an interception from Jaquan Brisker and kept Atlanta at 13 points, allowing McCarthy to take a cautious approach without paying for it on the scoreboard.
That result should not obscure Porter's importance. The Steelers will face a more demanding test in Week 2 against the New England Patriots, and a healthy Porter would give Patrick Graham's defense another physical outside cornerback. The goal is getting him ready to handle a starter's workload, not simply getting him active as quickly as possible.
Steelers Are Making Porter's Readiness McCarthy's Responsibility
McCarthy also said Porter has remained in communication with assistant head coach and secondary coach Joe Whitt Jr., pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach Jason Simmons, and Graham. That detail matters because it indicates Porter is still connected to the defensive plan even while he continues his physical ramp-up. There is a difference between being absent from a game and being absent from the team.
The next issue is whether McCarthy's decision changes this week. He said Porter would do additional work Monday and Pittsburgh hoped to increase his practice snaps Wednesday. The head coach has made his standard clear: Porter plays when McCarthy believes his preparation matches the demands of a regular-season game.
Some fans will remain skeptical until Porter is on the field, and that is understandable given the timing of the contract standoff. But McCarthy has put his name on the Week 1 decision rather than allowing it to remain an anonymous organizational explanation. If Porter returns soon, the Steelers will have added a major piece to a defense that already proved it can create game-changing plays. If he does not, McCarthy will continue owning the questions that come with it.
Do you agree with McCarthy's decision to keep Porter inactive against Atlanta, or should the Steelers have found a role for him? Share your takes with me on X (@anthonyghalkias), and follow me for more Steelers discussion throughout the 2026 season.
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