Former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback, Steven Nelson was not pleased with how his time with the organization ended in 2021. After initially being permitted to seek a trade at the end of the 2021 season, Nelson was released and later joined the Philadelphia Eagles as a free agent. Nelson hasn't been shy to trash-talk the Steelers in the past, and took a shot at veteran cornerback Patrick Peterson after Nelson's Houston Texans beat Pittsburgh 30-6 in Week 4 of the 2023 season. Nelson is still bitter and still taking shots at the organization.
Bryan M. Bennett / Getty Images
Former Steelers cornerback Steven Nelson (22) tries to tackle Stefon Diggs (14) during a Week 14 regular season game in 2020.
Nelson hosts a podcast called The Corner Suite and on a recent episode decided to air his dirty laundry about how things ended with the franchise. The 31-year-old cornerback is set to hit the open market again after his two-year deal with the Texans expires. After some of his comments, a reunion in Pittsburgh seems very unlikely.
"Going into my last year, my cap number's high," he said. "Those mother f***ers felt the need to call me like during the offseason like literally a day before free agency. That was Mike [Tomlin] and he called me on some sh*t like, 'Hey Steve, I think in upstairs, they looking to trade you.' Get the f*** out of here man, what? I didn't like that because if y'all was thinking that, you should've let me hit free agency on time."
Nelson wasn't done there. He added that looking at the decision, in retrospect, he finds it funny that Pittsburgh decided to move on from him. Nelson had two solid seasons in Pittsburgh. He started 30 games while reeling in three interceptions and defended 17 passes.
"I have a good laugh because those mother f***ers haven't found a corner yet. They're still searching. High and low, they looking."
Pittsburgh essentially replaced Nelson by signing former Buffalo Bills cornerback Levi Wallace and got similar, if not better, production from the undrafted Alabama product in 2022. Wallace hauled in four interceptions in his first season in Pittsburgh, starting in nine of 16 games he played.
Steelers Have A Cornerback For The Future That Nelson Is Neglecting
Even though Pittsburgh got a very successful season from Wallace as Nelson's cheaper replacement, cornerback was still a pressing need for the team in the 2023 offseason. The team lost cornerback Cam Sutton to the Detroit Lions and pivoted to signing Peterson to fill one of their vacancies. The team looked at the draft to find their other cornerback.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers rookie cornerback, Joey Porter Jr. (24) intercepts a pass against the Baltimore Ravens in a Week 5 victory at Acrisure Stadium.
The team selected Joey Porter Jr. out of Penn State to take the mantle of their cornerback of the future. He bided his time waiting for a starting spot, but once elevated to the outside corner role, he showed his potential as a shutdown cornerback in the NFL.
Porter's traditional counting stats for the season don't necessarily show how special he was in 2023. He had 43 tackles, with one for a loss, one interception, and 10 passes defended. Solid numbers for sure, but not eye-popping. Where his true value shows is that he only allowed a completion percentage of 47.6%, a passer rating of 70.1, and only one touchdown.
%202023%20Camp%20Final%20with%20Logos/2L9A6437-544x306.jpg "Steelers Cory Trice Jr.")
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers cornerback Cory Trice Jr. (27) competes in the 2023 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Pittsburgh is still looking for more depth in the position. Cory Trice Jr. missed all of his rookie season recovering from an injury suffered in camp, but the team still believes they might have something in the 2023 seventh-round pick. The team picked up Darius Rush off waivers from the Indianapolis Colts as well and he could be an interesting piece in the secondary going forward. The team is still looking for an outside cornerback to pair with Porter, and that will likely come in free agency or the 2024 NFL Draft.
Nelson may think that Pittsburgh still needs cornerback help and the team knows he is probably right, but the idea that they haven't had a cornerback of his caliber since he left is nonsense. Porter showed in his rookie season that he could hang against other team's top receivers and is the shutdown corner the team has been searching for.
What did you think of Nelson's comments? Do you agree that Porter Jr. is the corner of the future? Comment below!
#SteelerNation
