Steelers Announce Joey Porter Jr. Status for Patriots Game

Despite some optimism earlier in the week, Joey Porter Jr. won't play once again for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Steelers have released their final injury report ahead of a Week 2 matchup with the New England Patriots, and Porter Jr. was listed as out for a second-straight game to open the season.

It's been a rollercoaster for the two parties up to this point, and it's anyone's guess as to how the situation will ultimately resolve.

For now though, Pittsburgh is tasked with stopping Drake Maye and the Patriots' offense without its No. 1 cornerback.

Nov 30, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) reacts against the Buffalo Bills during the second half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Saga Continues

After being activated off the PUP list at final roster cuts and returning to practice after missing all of training camp with a back injury, it seemed as though Porter Jr. was moving towards suiting up for Pittsburgh regardless of if he inked a new deal or not.

The 26-year-old was listed as a limited participant on all three of the team's injury reports in the lead-up to Week 1's matchup with Atlanta, however, which raised some doubt about his readiness for the contest.

Contract talks ultimately concluded with no extension for Porter Jr., and he was in fact ruled inactive while still being in a "ramp-up period".

In his postgame press conference following the Steelers' win over the Falcons, head coach Mike McCarthy indicated that Porter Jr. was, "definitely ready to do more," before stating, "hopefully we move forward with more volume of work. That would be my anticipation," a day later on September 14.

That plan didn't come to fruition, however, as Porter Jr. was once again a limited participant in practice. To further complicate matters, his back injury was removed from the injury report in favor of an "NIR/conditioning" designation on September 16 before leaving practice early and having it added back on September 17 as a precursor to the news that he'd be sidelined against the Patriots.

Is Porter Jr. Done in Pittsburgh?

Per ESPN's Brooke Pryor and Jeremy Fowler, a source with knowledge of Porter Jr's situation stated that, "I don't know if he ever puts on a Steelers uniform again."

The relationship between Porter Jr. and the organization does appear to be trending in the wrong direction. While there's time for it to be mended and for some sort of middle ground to be reached, even though it won't be an agreement on a new deal in-season, the trade speculation has only gotten louder this week.

If Porter Jr. decides he wants out and Pittsburgh obliges by putting out feelers on the market and considering any offers that may come its way, it wouldn't come as a surprise if he were moved in the not-too-distant future.

The Steelers would likely garner a fair amount of suitors for him, but they'd certainly prefer to try and find a way to keep him around and have him play out the last year of his rookie contract before revisiting things next offseason.

It's unclear what outcome will be reached, though both sides would benefit from a resolution sooner rather than later.

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