Steelers Star Suddenly Sidelined: Joey Porter Jr. Misses Camp Due to Injury!

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers held their annual Friday Night Lights practice as training camp rages on. With the second week of their camp concluding, over 13,000 fans made it to St. Vincent’s College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania to watch their team practice under the lights.

There was a noticeable absence from the Steelers practice, however. Third-year cornerback Joey Porter Jr, who has impressed through the beginning stage of camp, did not participate in any drills or activities. Instead, the rising defensive back was in comfortable clothing while the team ran through their session.

Dec 15, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) is defended by Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Porter’s absence was a surprise. He was not listed in any injury report from the team and Head Coach Mike Tomlin did not mention him during his post-practice media session. With no Porter on the field, depth corner Brandin Echols received more snaps with the first and second teams in practice.

Porter is entering a pivotal year with the Steelers. He went through the classic sophomore slump during his second year in Pittsburgh. He was one of the most penalized cornerbacks in the NFL, getting called for 12 penalties in pass coverage. It was a regression the organization didn't see coming after selecting him in the second-round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

While Porter struggled with his discipline on the field, he took a step forward in other ways. He made a total of 70 tackles in 2024, an improvement of 27 tackles from his rookie campaign. He also continued to play stifling defense against quality competition when he wasn't being flagged, as he successfully defended seven passes. In two NFL campaigns, he's successfully defended 17 passes.

The arrival of superstar Jalen Ramsey has already had a positive impact on the young cornerback. Since training camp opened, the Steelers’ defense has looked impressive. With a strong desire to play man-to-man coverage against the top offenses, the trio of Ramsey, Porter and veteran Darius Slay are showing signs of being a top pass coverage unit in the NFL this season.