Steelers Legend, Joey Porter Jr.'s Dad Urges Patience In Extension Talks

PITTSBURGH -- With the first extension of the summer done for the Pittsburgh Steelers after Chris Boswell signed a four-year deal, the conversation will now turn to the remaining candidates on the board.

The rest of the big names are from the 2023 draft class, as their rookie contracts are expiring after the 2026 season, and that means some of the best Steelers are to be owed quite a raise.

One such player is Joey Porter Jr., a second-generation Steeler who has vastly improved his game year-over-year with the team.

During an collective appearance on Cam Heyward's podcast, Not Just Football, Joey Porter Sr. had some pointed words for fans and media who have grown tired of the back-and-forth that players have gone through with their contract situations.

“How can you really complain about when they want to do the contract and we watched them make T.J. [Watt] wait twice?” Porter said.

He then spoke about how he perceives the business working, considering he went through the process himself.

“It’s like, that’s just how we do business. If that’s how they want to do business, man, we’re gonna be ready, we’re gonna work, we’re gonna train, we’re gonna get this playbook. And when it happens, we’re gonna be ready. It’s a process, and we embrace the process,” Porter insisted.

What is particularly interesting about this conversation is that it took place on a podcast hosted by someone who was also previously embroiled in contract controversy in Heyward. Both him and Watt had their own reasons for delaying a contract, and both were compensated handsomely for their patience and back and forth.

Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) reacts after a play during the second half of an AFC Wild Card Round game against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

How Porter Jr. is Currently Compensated

Porter's current contract runs through the end of the 2026 season, and has him incurring a cap hit of $4,922,790 for the Steelers, which ranks No. 16 on the team.

It would be prudent for the Steelers to act soon on a Porter Jr. deal, as he seems to have a strong upward trajectory. After gaining a reputation for penalties in his first few years with the team, Porter played an incredibly safe 2025 season and was a bastion of stability in an otherwise unstable secondary.

With few additions to the room ahead of the upcoming season, the Steelers will rely heavily on the skills of Porter in order to be successful on defense in another year full of questions on the offensive side of the football.

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