Former Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr Shuts Down Contract Narrative With Revealing Injury Update

Joey Porter Jr. is still a hot topic in Pittsburgh more than a month after the Pittsburgh Steelers traded him to the Dallas Cowboys. The cornerback has missed time in Dallas, and with free agency waiting at the end of the season, the questions about his contract have followed him to Texas. On Thursday, Porter pushed back hard on that idea and blamed a foot and ankle injury that he says has been bothering him since his first game with his new team.

Porter did not practice for a second straight day as the Cowboys prepared to host the San Francisco 49ers. He spoke to reporters in the locker room afterward, and he made it clear to ESPN's Todd Archer that he has no patience for the theory that money is keeping him off the field.

"I don't even know where that narrative come from. I get it. It's the internet, but I really don't pay no attention to that or really care for that. My goal is to win games and play football, and that's what I want to do," Porter said.

According to Archer, Porter first hurt his ankle on Oct. 4 against the Houston Texans, which was his first game in a Cowboys uniform. He kept playing on it until it got worse. He was unable to finish a loss to the Arizona Cardinals and was inactive for last week's game against the Indianapolis Colts. He also missed an Oct. 8 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers because of an illness.

Head Coach Brian Schottenheimer said Porter is dealing with a heel problem along with the ankle injury. Porter described it more bluntly when NFL Network's Jane Slater and other reporters asked which part of the foot was the issue.

"The whole foot's jacked up. I was playing on it for a while, and it just kept getting worse to where I had to shut it down. I feel like all the guys are wanting me to get back. They know what I could do when I'm out there on the field," Porter said.

Steelers Already Have Their Return From The Joey Porter Jr. Trade

The Steelers sent Porter to Dallas on Oct. 1 in exchange for a 2027 sixth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick. The deal ended a contract standoff that had lasted all offseason and into the regular season. SteelerNation looked at how the Steelers really felt about moving on from Porter shortly after the trade.

Porter has played three full games for Dallas since the trade. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent when the season ends, which is a big reason why some fans have questioned his availability. The way his time in Pittsburgh ended has only added to the skepticism. Porter has said he wants to prove himself to his new team, and he admitted the injury has been hard to deal with.

He also explained why he cannot simply play through it. Porter said he did some running on Thursday and hopes to do more on Friday with an eye on playing against San Francisco, but he wants to be sure he can move the way his position requires. His answer was simple. A cornerback who cannot run, cut and jump against the league's best athletes does not help anyone.

Meanwhile, the Steelers have found a way to win without him. Pittsburgh is 6-2 and has won four straight games since the trade. Jamel Dean, Asante Samuel Jr. and rookie Daylen Everette have all stepped up, and SteelerNation covered how the thin secondary became a bright spot after Porter left. Jalen Ramsey has also moved around the secondary to help fill the gaps.

That group faces its biggest test of the season on Sunday night. The Steelers travel to face the Cincinnati Bengals, who have scored at least 31 points in each of their last four games behind Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. How the cornerbacks hold up against those receivers will say a lot about whether Pittsburgh made the right call.

For Porter, the focus is on getting healthy and showing the Cowboys what he can do before he hits the open market. For the Steelers, the trade already looks like one that worked out. They added a valuable second-round pick, avoided a long contract fight and kept winning. Whether Porter plays against the 49ers or not, Pittsburgh has clearly moved on.

This story was produced with the help of AI and reviewed by SteelerNation editors.

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