Steelers Rule Out Joey Porter Jr. for Browns Game

Pittsburgh Steelers defender Joey Porter Jr. won't play against the Cleveland Browns in Week 4. 

Despite full participation in back-to-back walk-throughs earlier this week, Porter Jr. will not make his season debut against the Browns on Thursday Night Football. 

Because Monday's and Tuesday's practices weren't at full speed, the participation report is an estimate, but Porter Jr.'s status as a full participant in each was still significant.

It marked the first time he had been a full participant since he was activated off the physically unable to perform list in late August.

While navigating a combative contract negotiation that failed to produce an extension by the Steelers' regular-season deadline, Porter Jr. has also been dealing with a back injury since first reporting the aggravation during a mobility workout on the first day of training camp. He missed all of training camp and the preseason on the physically unable to perform list.

Porter Jr. was activated off the list on roster cutdown day and he had been a limited participant in every practice before this week. He also left practice early two weeks ago when he reported another flare-up of his back injury, but the "back" injury description was gone from the practice report by the following week.

Speaking for the first time since he and the Steelers failed to reach an agreement on a contract extension, Porter said on Sept. 24 that he would "definitely" play this season and he added that both his conditioning and the lingering back injury had been preventing him from playing in games.

"It's both," Porter Jr. said. "My back has its moments where [there's] a flare-up here and there, and we're still just trying to get my conditioning down to just me being out there as much as possible."

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.

The Steelers are 2-1. They beat the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1, lost to the New England Patriots in Week 3 and defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3.

Not only did the Steelers beat the Bengals to improve to 2-1, but QB Aaron Rodgers also made major NFL history. Sunday's win marked the 165th of Rodgers' career, tying him with Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger for fifth most by a starting quarterback since positions were first tracked in 1950.

With his first-quarter 38-yard touchdown throw to Roman Wilson, Rodgers also recorded his 233rd career game with at least one passing touchdown, tying Peyton Manning for the fourth-most such games in NFL history.  

Rodgers turned back the clock against the Bengals. The future Hall of Famer threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Steelers to a 30-27 win.