Steelers Rookie Joey Porter Jr. Is Silencing Critics With 2 More Interceptions At Thursday Practice

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Joey Porter Jr. with the first pick of the second round in the 2023 NFL Draft. Most fans were elated that Porter had come home to the Steelers. A vocal minority was worried about the potential return of Joey Porter Sr. to the organization. The remaining detractors that did not celebrate the triumphant return were focused on Porter’s reputation for not creating enough turnovers for the Penn State Nittany Lions.

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Porter did not have an interception in his redshirt junior season in Beaver Valley, PA. Most quarterbacks avoided targeting him in his final collegiate season. It did not stop Porter from being named as a Second Team All-American or Omar Khan from selecting him as the first pick in the second round. This was a pick they acquired from the Chicago Bears in a lopsided trade for Chase Claypool. 

The rookie cornerback has been attracting attention for his almost daily duels with George Pickens. The Steelers' phenomenal second-year receiver made a spectacular catch on Tuesday that SteelerNation’s Brandon Wallace captured in a viral tweet. It quickly became the talk of social media.

Many players would have crawled into a ball after Pickens's spectacular catch. Porter is not one of them. He handled the situation with aplomb. Not only did he not let the play bother him, he responded with an interception later in the same practice. Porter is demonstrating the short memory that all great cornerbacks possess. Pickens for his part praised Porter's ability to rise to the big moment and willingness to compete. 

"I mean that was outstanding coverage," Pickens observed. "That was good technique. It's just like Michael Jordan and A.I. (Allen Iverson), sometimes it's good D, better offense."

Porter has demonstrated substantial ability against Pickens and seems to be in line for a starting cornerback position opposite Patrick Peterson. On Thursday, the Steelers elected to practice in shorts and helmets instead of pads ahead of the much anticipated Friday Night Lights event. Porter dazzled onlookers again with two interceptions including a spectacular diving pick against Kenny Pickett. 

Chris Carter, who writes for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, captured a sideline exchange between Mike Tomlin and Pickens after Porter's second interception. The coach reportedly turned to Pickens looking for praise for the rookie. Pickens, who is fast developing into a go-to character for the media to quote, gave it with his unique style. 

Porter's ability to create turnovers will be a vital part of the Steelers defense in 2023. Quarterbacks are going to test the rookie early and often when the season opens. If he performs as he has so far in training camp, teams will have the unsavory option of trying to target the future Hall of Fame cornerback Peterson. 

The Steelers defense has one of the most ferocious pass rushes in the entire NFL. If quarterbacks are forced to hold the ball against the physical Porter before testing him, it could be catastrophic for opposing offenses. TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Cam Heyward are relentless. If Pittsburgh is transitioning to bump-and-run physical man coverage, the resulting sack numbers should be a perfect opportunity for dancing. 

What do you think, Steeler Nation? Is Porter allaying any doubts fans might have had about his ability to perform at the NFL level? Let me hear what you think. Please comment below or on my TwitterX @thebubbasq. 

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