Steelers' Jalen Ramsey Calls Out Joey Porter Jr. Rumor

PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey ruffled some feathers during his recent media availability.

After being asked about the Steelers' new additions to the secondary, Ramsey said that the coaches needed to let the newcomers, like Sean Murphy-Bunting, get out on the field with the starters rather than focus so much on the playbook.

"The coaches just have to put them out there with us so that we can all get on the same page," he told me and other reporters after practice.

Ramsey has also drawn the ire of the fanbase for backing up former Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. Some have gone as far as accusing him of encouraging JPJ to fake a back injury during the process. In response, Ramsey took to his X account to post his feelings on the matter.

"Why would i not want a chance to suit up with him this year as a PITTSBURGH STEELER?" He wrote. "Just doesn’t make sense. don’t take me being in his corner the wrong way. His business is his business & i’m rocking wit him as my dawg… but i’m a Steeler & i want all good players to be apart of this team. i’m tryna win!"

aye yall are crazy lol… the Joey narrative has to stop! i ain’t tell no damn body to not play lol that’s just flat out dumb! i still cheat when i play madden 😂! i want to be teammates with good players! why would i tell a guy who i think is a top 5 corner to fake an injury…
— Jalen Ramsey (@jalenramsey) October 9, 2026

Why Did Folks Accuse Ramsey of Colluding in the First Place?

The thing that really sticks out to me is how misconstrued Ramsey's backing of Porter Jr. has been. As the preseason was moving along, Ramsey was notably in his former teammate's corner. He told reporters that he felt JPJ deserved to be paid as a top corner in the NFL and as a top contributor to the Steelers' defense.

Since those comments and Ramsey flashing the numbers "2-4" after a turnover in Week 2, it's been decided that he was a conspirator alongside Porter to get him out of Pittsburgh.

Ramsey flat out denies that accusation in his latest social media post.

Aug 13, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey watches the action against the Green Bay Packers during the first half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Will Folks Believe Ramsey?

If Ramsey is trying to convince folks how to feel about the Joey Porter Jr. situation, he's barking up the wrong tree. A portion of the fanbase has decided that JPJ was the villain of the entire story, and because of that, there is no reason to here out any argument from the guilty party.

If you fell on the other side of the fence, you were never eager to hear from Ramsey about it. Acknowledging it at all lends the accusations more credence than ignoring it would.

Does this statement move the needle at all? For those that have made up their minds, not at all. But if folks are still looking for answers in the latest Steelers saga, Ramsey's words are helpful context.

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