Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. enters Week 1 of the 2026 season in a contract standoff with the Pittsburgh Steelers while being set to begin the final year of his rookie deal. Porter Jr., the No. 32 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, claims a desire to be the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL isn't what's holding the deal up.
"I don't know where that came from," Porter Jr. said, via ESPN. "Whoever made that up, I really don't pay too much hype into it."
Porter Jr. led the NFL in passer rating against as the primary defender in coverage last season, with a minimum of 60 pass attempts, with a 49.1 rating. No other corner allowed a sub-50 passer rating against. Porter Jr. ranked ahead of other All-Pro and Pro Bowl cornerbacks who have received big paydays in recent years, like Patrick Surtain II (four years, $96 million), Derek Stingley Jr. (three years, $90 million) and Christian Gonzalez (four years, $135 million).
NFL passer rating against as primary defender leaders, 2025 season, min. 60 pass attempts Passer ratingContractJoey Porter Jr. (PIT)
49.1
Rookie deal
Quinyon Mitchell (PHI)
53.8
Rookie deal
Pat Surtain II (DEN)
59.7
4 years, $96M
Derek Stingley Jr. (HOU)
62.1
3 years, $90M
Christian Gonzalez (NE)
63.7
4 years, $135M
Jaylen Watson (LAR)
63.7
3 years, $51M
"At the end of the day, it's business. I know what that is, and I got my head straight so I understand that," Porter Jr. said. My dad [Joey Porter] been in this league as a coach and a player, so he has knowledge on that. It's nothing new to me, even though this is my first go around. That's how I look at it."
The Steelers kick off their season at 1 p.m. EST Sunday while hosting the Atlanta Falcons, and Porter Jr. is holding out hope deal gets done before then.
"I hope so, man, that's all I can do is just hope," he said.
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