Joey Porter Jr. didn’t wait long to say how he felt about his exit from Pittsburgh. A day after the Dallas Cowboys traded for the cornerback, Porter was asked Thursday whether he felt disrespected by the Steelers during their contract standoff. “Definitely, definitely,” Porter said, per Pro Football Talk. “It was a hard process, a lot of ups and downs. Definitely felt disrespected, definitely felt undervalued.”
Porter said the difference between the two teams came down to how much each one valued him. “I didn’t feel like it was really that over there,” he said of Pittsburgh. “They’re showing me that they value me over here so far with the talks that I had.” He also admitted the trade was welcome news. “Man, I was excited. I’m not even gonna lie,” he said. And he made clear he’s ready to move on. “That’s old news now,” Porter said. “I’m on to new beginnings, new chapters. I’m a Cowboy. I’m in Dallas, so I’m happy about that.”
How the Steelers standoff ended in a trade
Porter, 26, entered the final year of his rookie contract wanting an extension and never played a snap for Pittsburgh this season. He missed the first three games, and general manager Omar Khan said there would be no negotiations during the season, according to NFL.com. The Steelers sent him to Dallas on Wednesday for a 2028 second-round pick and a 2027 sixth-rounder. Porter started 41 games over three seasons in Pittsburgh, with three interceptions and 31 pass breakups.
The new contract he wanted isn’t waiting for him yet. The Cowboys have decided against an immediate extension and want to see him play first. Porter didn’t sound bothered by that. He said feeling valued is “all I need” and that he wants to show the Cowboys “I could do what I do.”
Dallas needs him to do it quickly. The Cowboys are 1-2, rank 30th in total defense and don’t have an interception this season, and their secondary has been hit hard by injuries. Defensive coordinator Christian Parker said that when a defense has corners who can “erase things” in one-on-one matchups, “then you can do different things,” per the team’s website. Quarterback Dak Prescott said he was “pumped up” when he heard the news. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer wouldn’t commit to Porter playing Sunday against the Houston Texans but said, “He moved around good today.” If he does suit up, it will be his first game action since last season, and his first chance to show Pittsburgh what it gave up.
