We can all be a little suspicious of Dallas Cowboys cornerback Joey Porter Jr.’s intentions regarding whether he wants to be on the field this year.
Especially after Porter Jr. seemingly faked a back injury as he missed the first four games with the Pittsburgh Steelers before a trade to the Cowboys — and especially after he popped up on Friday’s injury report after being a full go at practice on Thursday ahead of the Week 6 primetime game against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football.
Porter Jr. is listed as questionable for the Packers game with an ankle injury. He missed a Week 5 loss to the previously winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers after arriving at the stadium and being sent home with an illness.
“Joey Porter Jr. is questionable after being limited Friday,” The Athletic’s Jon Machota wrote on his official X account on Friday. “He was full on Thursday.”
“Joey Porter Jr. was a full participant yesterday, FWIW,” The Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Joseph Hoyt wrote on his official X account on Friday.
Cowboys Executive Vice President Stephen Jones defended Porter Jr. during an appearance on 105.3-FM The Fan when asked whether he thought the son of legendary NFL linebacker Joey Porter would be all-in for the rest of the season despite not having a new contract extension — the reason he forced his way out of Pittsburgh.
“Oh, absolutely,” Jones said on Friday. “I think he’s all in. He wants to be out there. He was sick, he couldn’t play last week with the flu. But he obviously played in our first game and I think he’s fired up about what he can do to help us win against the Packers.”
Not everyone is so trusting.
Steelers Fans Burned by Joey Porter Jr.
Steelers fans don’t trust Porter Jr. — and it’s hard to blame them.
“You need to be on an NFL team’s active, inactive, Injured Reserve (IR), or Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list for 6 games to obtain an accrued season in the NFL,” Steelers super fan Yinzer G wrote on their official X account. “Scam Porter Jr knows this. This is why he has faked a back injury, an illness and now an ankle injury. After this week he will have fully accrued enough time this season to be an unrestricted FA at the end of the year. He can just go home for the rest of the season and not have to keep doing this charade anymore. The Cowboys got played, even worse than the Steelers got played. The question is tho, what team will be stupid enough to offer him a contract next year?”
Cowboys Make Blockbuster Move in Trade
The Cowboys paid a pretty penny for Porter in a move to try to improve what’s been the NFL’s worst defense.
“Trade! The Steelers and Cowboys are finalizing a deal sending CB Joey Porter Jr. to Dallas,” NFL insider Tom Pelissero wrote on his official X account on October 1. “The standoff is over: Joey Porter Jr. is about to be a Cowboy, while the Steelers move forward with a big game against the Browns on Thursday night.”
Porter played for the Cowboys just days after the trade — a 34-30 win over the Houston Texans.
“BREAKING: Steelers are trading CB Joey Porter Jr. to the Cowboys, per sources,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz wrote on his official X account. “Cowboys are sending a 2028 2nd round pick and a conditional 2027 6th to the Steelers in the trade … deal is being finalized tonight.”
Cowboys CB Joey Porter Jr. Called Out for ‘Scam’ After Injury Update