The Pittsburgh Steelers thought they were finally getting closer to an answer with Joey Porter Jr. Instead, the cornerback’s latest practice update has only added another layer to this complicated situation. After Porter was cleared from the back injury that sidelined him in the season opener against the Atlanta Falcons, the CB practiced on Thursday, but his status during Wednesday’s practice is raising questions.
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Porter was listed as limited on Wednesday for NIR/Conditioning (not injury-related), rather than his back. That immediately raised questions about whether his absence from the opener was still primarily connected to the injury. Now, NFL insider Aditi Kinkhabwala is questioning why the Steelers have not taken a stronger stance.
“At this point, is this a little spineless?” Kinkhabwala said on 93.7 The Fan. “Like, medically clear him and fine him. If it’s not the back anymore, then wasn’t it incumbent upon him to be conditioned?”
The situation is not quite that simple, though. Porter has dealt with the back issue since the first day of training camp and did not return to practice until after the preseason. While the change in his injury designation provides some indication of where he stands, it does not establish that he is fully healthy or that he has refused to play.
There was another development on Thursday. ESPN’s Brooke Pryor reported that Porter left the portion of practice open to reporters with a trainer after participating in individual drills.
“Joey had a good day yesterday. He did everything that he was scheduled to do, so hopefully we can make some progress today. So that’s our outlook for Joey,” head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters on Thursday.
However, just two weeks before Week 1, Porter had told reporters he was unsure about his playing status due to the contract situation.
“I don’t know,” Porter said when asked if he would play without a contract extension. “I got to talk to the guys upstairs and my agents about that.”
That leaves the Steelers with an awkward situation heading into their Week 2 matchup against the New England Patriots. Pittsburgh needs to determine what Porter can physically do while also navigating a contract dispute that has been hanging over the cornerback since the offseason.
Porter is entering the final year of his $9.61 million rookie contract, but the Steelers have not reached an extension with their 2023 first-round pick. Pittsburgh has already extended several players from that draft class, including Nick Herbig, Darnell Washington and Keeanu Benton, but Porter remains without a new deal.
The lack of an agreement has fueled speculation that his absence is about more than his back. The details of the negotiations are not public, and neither side has said the contract dispute is why Porter has missed time.
That matters when it comes to discipline. The Steelers could fine Porter if they determine he is healthy and failing to meet his obligations. But doing so without a clear medical basis could create another issue, especially since back injuries can be difficult to assess from the outside.
Pittsburgh also has little reason to rush a decision on one of its key defensive players. Porter is coming off the best statistical season of his young career, with 52 tackles, 14 passes defensed, one sack and one interception in 2025.
Since the Steelers selected him No. 32 overall in 2023, Porter has accumulated 165 tackles, 31 passes defensed, and three interceptions. His physical style and ability to match up with opposing receivers have made him an important part of Pittsburgh’s secondary.
That is why the current situation carries so much weight. The Steelers need Porter on the field, but they also need clarity about why he is not there.
Kinkhabwala’s comments put pressure on the Steelers to provide clarity. If Porter is still dealing with an injury, the team can manage his workload. If conditioning is the issue, that needs to be made clear.
For now, neither explanation has been confirmed publicly. His departure from Thursday’s practice only adds another question ahead of Sunday’s game against New England.