Steelers Officially Lose Joey Porter Jr. Against Falcons

In addition to the expected players left off the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 53-man roster, the inactive list made Joey Porter Jr.’s absence official.

Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. leaves the field following an AFC Wild Card Round loss to the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers begin their 2026 season against the Atlanta Falcons, but it doesn’t come without drama.

As any Steelers season goes, the organization is entering another campaign with a ton of questions and concerns. There is no bigger issue plaguing the franchise right now than the one concerning cornerback Joey Porter Jr. The two sides have not reached an agreement on a new contract, and his long-term future in Pittsburgh is in serious jeopardy.

It doesn’t look any better after the Steelers released their inactive players list ahead of their Week 1 battle. In addition to the expected players left off the 53-man roster, the inactive list made Porter Jr.’s absence official.

Inactives for #ATLvsPIT ⤵️ @UPMC

📝: https://t.co/kMFvtwAhs4 pic.twitter.com/Q91FMtuW0Q

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) September 13, 2026

Inactives for Steelers

Will Howard, QB, (Emergency 3rd QB)

Will Howard will be the team’s emergency quarterback in this matchup. It’s an unsurprising move, as he’s maintained the third spot on the team’s depth chart.

As the emergency quarterback, Howard holds a special role. He’ll dress for the game, but he cannot enter the contest unless the two players in front of him (Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph) were to leave the game due to injury.

Drew Allar

The team’s recent third-round pick impressed the coaching staff this summer, and now the tough part begins. Allar must wait and bide his time, improving from afar while he tries to earn a helmet on game days.

Aug 21, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Drew Allar (16) warms up against the New York Jets during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Gennings Dunker

Like Allar, third-round pick Gennings Dunker is officially in the redshirt portion of his rookie season. Unless injuries strike, Dunker is unlikely to be on the active roster on a weekly basis. His job now is to progress while learning behind the young group in front of him.

Kevin Jobity Jr.

Another rookie on this list, as Syracuse defensive lineman Kevin Jobity Jr. does not receive a helmet in the season opener. He performed well enough in the preseason to make the team out of camp, but with so many strong defensive linemen in front of him, Jobity Jr. is a longshot to get a hat on game days.

Joey Porter Jr.

The most notable player on this list is the most concerning. His “ramp up” period in practice was really more like a cameo, and it’s not the biggest shock that Porter Jr. is not suiting up in Week 1.

It just begs the question, what the heck is going on? Did negotiations break down? Are the Steelers trying to trade him? Or, is the back injury that most believe to be fictitious actually forcing him off the field?

Gabe Rubio, DL

Rubio has taken strides over the summer, going from a sixth-round pick to a member of the 53-man roster, but he’s set to watch the first game as an inactive.

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