James Harrison Exposes Ugly Truth Behind Steelers' Omar Khan And Joey Porter Jr Saga

The Pittsburgh Steelers officially ended their lengthy standoff with Joey Porter Jr. when they traded the cornerback to the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday night. Pittsburgh finally received closure after an offseason dominated by questions surrounding Porter's contract situation, but Steelers legend James Harrison certainly isn't satisfied with how the organization handled it. Following Pittsburgh's 27-24 loss to the Cleveland Browns, Harrison unleashed on his former team.

Porter's situation had become one of the biggest storylines surrounding Pittsburgh long before the regular season began. The two sides never found common ground on a new contract, Porter didn't play in any of Pittsburgh's first three games, and the Steelers eventually decided a trade was their best path forward. Harrison believes Pittsburgh could have avoided reaching that point entirely.

Harrison discussed the situation alongside former Steelers cornerback Joe Haden on their Deebo & Joe podcast after Pittsburgh's loss. He didn't simply criticize the Steelers for eventually trading Porter. Harrison took direct aim at how Pittsburgh handled the negotiations leading up to the deal, while making an especially interesting claim about what apparently could have gotten Porter back onto the practice field.

"Steelers, this is why you don't sit there and twiddle your thumbs and play with your a** when it comes time to give the man a deal and don't even offer him nothing," Harrison said. "We ain't even going to say what was said, but let's just say, did you hear what I heard from the horse's mouth? That if somebody just offered him a deal, he would have been practicing the whole time."

That's a significant claim from Harrison. Harrison didn't reveal everything he had apparently heard behind the scenes, but his message was clear. He believes Pittsburgh's General Manager Omar Khan could have handled the entire situation differently simply by putting an offer in front of Porter.

That doesn't necessarily mean Porter would have accepted whatever the Steelers offered. It doesn't mean the two sides would have immediately reached an agreement, either. Harrison's frustration appears to center on the idea that Pittsburgh allowed the situation to drag on without doing enough to create meaningful movement. His comments are also notable because Harrison had been discussing Porter's contract situation throughout the offseason.

Harrison previously made it clear that he understood why Porter wouldn't want to put himself at risk without long-term security. Now that the situation has ended with Porter in Dallas, Harrison believes the Steelers deserve significant criticism for allowing it to reach that point.

Harrison quickly turned his frustration with the Porter situation into a much broader criticism of the organization. His second message wasn't simply about contracts or negotiations. He questioned whether Pittsburgh's commitment to doing things a certain way is actually helping the organization win.

"Do you want to win? Or just stick to something that is just the way it is? No, it's not," Harrison said. "The Steeler Way now is we ain't won a playoff game in 10 years. That's the way it is. The Steeler Way now is .500. The Steeler Way now is maybe drag your a** to the playoffs and go get kicked out."

Steelers Face Brutal Criticism From James Harrison

Those are exceptionally strong words coming from Harrison. He understands the traditional "Steeler Way" better than most. 

He spent the majority of his NFL career in Pittsburgh, won two Super Bowls with the organization and became one of the most recognizable defensive players of his generation. He even had his own contract issues with the organization. When Harrison talks about what the Steelers used to represent, he is speaking from the perspective of someone who experienced championship expectations firsthand. That's what makes his criticism sting. 

Steelers fans, do you agree with James Harrison's brutal criticism of how Pittsburgh handled Joey Porter Jr.? Let us know what you think, and follow Anthony G. Halkias II on X @anthonyghalkias for more Pittsburgh Steelers news. 

#SteelerNation