Joey Porter Jr. made his first comments since the Pittsburgh Steelers didn't sign him to an extension.
Joey Porter Jr. spoke to reporters on Thursday (9/24) for the first time since the Pittsburgh Steelers didn't sign him to an extension.
The Steelers didn't sign Porter Jr. to an extension before the season started and the talented defender didn't play in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons or in Week 2 against the New England Patriots.
"It didn't get done," Porter Jr. said. "It didn’t happen. That’s really just old news for me now.”
Porter Jr. has a base salary of $3,924,000 and a cap hit of $4,922,790 this season.
In 14 games for the Steelers last season, Porter Jr. had one interception, 14 passes defended, one sack and 35 solo tackles.
Porter Jr. has three interceptions and 31 passes defended in 47 games with the Steelers. He's been leaning on his dad and former Steelers player and coach, Joey Porter Sr., for counsel during the process.
It's unknown if Porter Jr. will play in Week 3 against the Cincinnati Bengals, who have two superstar wideouts: Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
“I feel like I have a good indication on those guys and what they like to do," Porter Jr. said. "I never really struggled against them. It’s always been fun for me getting out there with them.”
The Steelers are 1-1, while the Bengals are 2-0. Without Porter Jr., Pittsburgh beat Atlanta, 20-13, but lost to New England, 20-3.
Through the Steelers' first two games of the season, AaronRodgers has only 408 passing yards, one passing touchdown and one interception. He's completing just 59.5% of his passes and Pittsburgh has only one offensive touchdown.
In the Steelers' Week 2 loss against the Patriots on the road, Rodgers was off target on 26% of his throws (nine attempts) in the loss, his worst as a Steeler. The Patriots frustrated Rodgers with heavy pressure and blitzed on 19 of 44 dropbacks (43%), the second-highest rate he has faced with Pittsburgh.
Against the blitz, Rodgers was 8-of-17 for 42 yards with two sacks and an interception against Mike Vrabel's defense. He had his first interception against the blitz as a member of the Steelers, who are 1-1.
Rodgers had 3,322 passing yards, 24 passing touchdowns and seven interceptions last season. Many people thought Rodgers would play well again this season since he knows Mike McCarthy's system well.
However, through two games, Rodgers looks like a complete shell of himself, so much so that some pundits have called for McCarthy to bench the NFL legend for rookie Drew Allar.
McCarthy is not going to bench Rodgers in Rodgers' final NFL season. That's not how you treat a football icon.
Rodgers entered this season with 66,274 passing yards and 527 passing touchdowns in the regular season and 6,040 passing yards and 45 passing touchdowns in the playoffs. He's played for the Green Bay Packers, New York Jets and Steelers.
McCarthy and Rodgers won Super Bowl XLV against the Steelers as members of the Packers. Rodgers called it a "full-circle" moment to play for McCarthy again when McCarthy was hired.
However, thus far, the reunion hasn't been pretty.
The good news is that there is still plenty of time for Rodgers and Co. to turn things around.
