Steelers' Joey Porter Jr. Makes Thoughts Clear on Ravens

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers enter a do-or-die game against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18. The AFC North title and the playoffs are on the line for both teams, an there's few better ways the NFL can end their regular season than a brutal matchup against two heated rivals.

The players know that.

"This is an entertainment-type league," Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. said about the team's Sunday Night Football showdown. "And that’s entertainment."

Oct 8, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) intercepts a pass in the end-zone intended for Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (3) during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The atmosphere, the reward, and the loss are only going to make this matchup even fiercer, and both teams know what needs to be done when everything is on the line in a Week 18 game.

The Steelers are 1-0 this season against the Ravens, defeating their divisional foes in Week 14 in Baltimore. Now, the matchup is in Pittsburgh, adding another chapter to what has been a great battle over the years.

"There’s been a lot of good ones," Porter said on the Steelers-Ravens games. "There was a point where dudes (were) getting knocked down, like, every game. You know when the Steelers and Ravens play, somebody’s not gonna make it throughout the whole game. I feel like whenever Ryan Clark was playing and those dudes (were) really putting lights out, that’s when everything got really intense. … Who doesn’t like those rivalries?"

Porter Shares Real Thoughts on Ravens

The rivalry is no secret, and neither is the hatred. For Porter, he's been in it for a long time, watching his dad, Joey Porter Sr., play in it before he eventually did.

And that's made Porter feel a certain way about the Ravens.

"Ever since I was little," Porter said. "Probably whenever my dad had that rivalry. I never really liked those guys. It’s either Steelers or nobody how I look at it. If you’re on the opposite side, then obviously we can’t be on the same side. So I feel like I’ve always had that rivalry with them. And now I have my own rivalry and my own beef and vendetta versus them that we’ve gotta sort out."

Porter will get a chance to etch his name into the rivalry's history in Week 18 with an all-or-nothing game in Pittsburgh. With a few big moments already made during his three seasons on the roster, this will be the biggest.

It's an opportunity he's likely excited for, and ready to take advantage of. Everyone will be watching to see what happens this Sunday night.

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