National expectations are, at best, lukewarm for the Pittsburgh Steelers this season. That’s especially the case in the AFC North, where the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals have MVP caliber quarterbacks. The Cleveland Browns were also in the playoffs two years ago. But Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. doesn’t care about any of that.
Porter put his team’s rivals on notice with a message this week.
“They all better be worried,” Porter said of Pittsburgh’s AFC North rivals in an interview with Prospect Media on Wednesday, via Steelers Depot’s Joe Cammorota. “Every single team in our division, we coming for y’all. They know it, and they gonna come for us too.
“So, we ain’t gonna let them get that chance, so we gonna step onto anybody.”
The message was reminiscent of something Porter’s father, Joey Porter Sr., might say. A Steelers linebacker from 1999-2006, Porter Sr. was one of the most famous trash talkers in the league.
“Porter, like his father, isn’t shy to trash-talk,” Cammorota wrote. “He and his teammates still have a bad taste in their mouths after their collapse down the stretch. Once December hit, the 2024 Steelers faltered.
“They fell to the Ravens twice, including a blowout loss in the playoffs, and the Bengals. Despite this, Porter and the rest of his teammates on the defense are in good spirits.
“Earlier this week, S Juan Thornhill said Pittsburgh’s defense could be the best of all time.”
Steelers’ Joey Porter Jr. Sounds Ready for 2025 Season
Some will read what Porter said as a bigger deal than others. But the cornerback implied himself why the trash-talking he uttered isn’t major news.
Teams in the AFC North already hate each other and want to beat one another already. That’s true for all four teams, as it’s one of the best divisions in the NFL.
What Porter said doesn’t change that.
Therefore, maybe one of the biggest takeaways from Porter’s comments is he sounds very ready for the season.
The 2025 campaign is going to be a major one for Porter. The cornerback is entering his third season with the team. While he’s been a starter since midway through his rookie campaign, Porter has still experienced inconsistent play in large part because of penalties.
During 2024, Porter led his position with 17 fouls.
Next spring, Porter will be entering a contract season. It’s possible that the cornerback will seek a contract extension by next summer.
For the Steelers to feel comfortable offering Porter a big-time contract, he will likely have to be more consistent in 2025.
Darius Slay to Work With Porter This Season
Porter will once again be one of the youngest players in the Steelers cornerback room. This past offseason, Pittsburgh added veteran cornerbacks Darius Slay and Jalen Ramsey.
That could be great for Porter’s development. Slay addressed in June how he wants to help the young cornerback.
“They say he can’t catch, but we’re going to fix that. We’re going to catch the rock this year,” Slay said while appearing on ESPN’s The Mina Kimes Show. “I have a good resume with me with younger guys trying to help build them, so that’s my job.
“I’m just here to help him. Do everything I can to make sure he succeeds at what he does and try to get him really to be one of the best in the game.”
Porter, Slay and Ramsey are each expected to play a lot this season. Entering the NFL Draft, pundits predicted Porter and Slay to start on the outside.
While the Steelers added Ramsey with a trade on June 30, that expectation hasn’t changed. Ramsey is projected to play some outside cornerback, in the slot and even safety.
The three defensive backs should be on the field at lot together in 2025. If they are playing well, then Pittsburgh’s AFC North rivals may have a reason to “be worried.”
