Steelers Trade Joey Porter Jr. to Cowboys

The Pittsburgh Steelers are moving on from Joey Porter Jr.

According to The Ringer's Tom Pelissero, the Steelers have traded Porter Jr. to the Dallas Cowboys on the eve of their Week 4 Thursday Night Football matchup with the Cleveland Browns.

Trade! The Steelers and Cowboys are finalizing a deal sending CB Joey Porter Jr. to Dallas, sources tell @ringer @netflixsports. pic.twitter.com/yy9UlQHdZ3
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 1, 2026

NFL insider Jordan Schultz revealed that Dallas is sending a second-round pick and a conditional sixth-rounder back to Pittsburgh in the trade.

ESPN's Todd Archer added that the second-rounder is in 2028 while the sixth-rounder is in 2027.

Porter Jr.'s back injury reemerged on Pittsburgh's final injury report of the week after he had been listed as a full participant in practice on both September 28 and 29 with a "NIR/conditioning" designation, and he was ruled out vs. Cleveland as a result.

The Steelers were essentially at their wits' end with Porter Jr. after failing to reach an agreement on an extension with him before the regular season began. It never felt as though he was going to suit up for the team after not receiving a new deal, and he now heads to the NFC with the Cowboys.

It marks the third trade the two franchises have made since May 2025, as both George Pickens and Broderick Jones were previously sent to Dallas. Now, Porter Jr. will reunite with his former Pittsburgh teammates in the Lone Star State.

Now, the Steelers appear set to move forward with Jamel Dean, Asante Samuel Jr. and Daylen Everette as their options on the boundary at cornerback while Jalen Ramsey and Brandin Echols handle the duties in the slot.

Nov 2, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) celebrates after a play during the fourth quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Pittsburgh Finally Puts Porter Jr. Situation in Rearview Mirror

It's unfortunate, truthfully for both parties, that the ultimate conclusion was Porter Jr. being traded.

He's coming off a breakout 2025 campaign in which he established himself as a bona fide, top-end No. 1 cornerback, which the Steelers had been searching for and struggled to find before selecting the Penn State product with the first pick in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Factor in that Porter Jr.'s father, Joey Porter Sr., is both a franchise legend and former coach for Pittsburgh, and it felt like a match made in heaven.

It sure seems like the two sides reached a point of no return after not hammering out an agreement ahead of Week 1, however, and it likely became clear to the Steelers that Porter Jr. had little to no intention of playing out the last year of his rookie contract with the team.

Him not being around is a blow to Pittsburgh's chances of contending and piecing together a truly elite defense, but perhaps there's some peace of mind for the organization knowing that the situation is done and that they landed a good package in return, headlined by a second-round pick.

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