With the season underway and the future between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Joey Porter Jr. still in doubt, Mike McCarthy’s mood about the topic has changed. After being open about his view of Porter and how the Steelers are handling the situation during training camp, McCarthy’s tone has changed as he tries to focus on the members of his team actually taking part in the games. However, that’s not going stop reporters from asking about the elephant in the room.
Seemingly reaching a bit of a breaking point, McCarthy responded in a snippy manner when repeatedly asked about Porter, his availability and the status of his back injury. Porter has participated in drills during practice, but most do not expect him to play this coming Sunday when the Steelers welcome their AFC North rival Cincinnati Bengals to Pittsburgh.
Mike McCarthy Showed Frustration When Asked About Joey Porter Jr.
when asked whose decision it was for Porter to be limited in practice on Wednesday, a clearly annoyed McCarthy just responded by saying “we have a plan for every one of our players” and then adding that Porter “did the work that was planned on” while lifting his hands in the air.
But then once he heard a follow up from WTAE’Ss Ashley Liotus, McCarthy snapped and said, “we’re not going to play this game anymore about every little question” and told reporters to just reference the injury report.
And while assistant coaches have defended Porter in regards to his behavior, it’s clear McCarthy is growing more and more frustrated as the ongoing “impasse” lingers on with each passing day, especially as the franchise continues to maintain its position and refusal to adjust from their longstanding rule of not negotiating with players in the middle of the season. He’s also well aware of Porter’s unwillingness to accept any offer below market value among the top cornerbacks in the league.
A Porter Trade Would Be Polarizing for Steelers Fans
With the Steelers unwilling to budge on their stance, and Porter seemingly unwilling to meet in the middle, the most likely scenario is the two sides are unable to ever come to terms. And an eventual breakup between Pittsburgh and Porter would create a disappointing end to a franchise’s relationship with a legacy player.
A possible trade of Porter, 26, the son of the former popular Steelers linebacker Joey Porter Sr., comes with extra emotions for fans. Porter Sr. made four Pro Bowls and was part of a Super Bowl winning team in Pittsburgh. Fans figured his son would enjoy similar, if not greater, success when the Steelers brought him home by selecting him in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Penn State.
With or without Porter, McCarthy will lead the Steelers in their first divisional matchup of the season on Sunday afternoon. Kickoff for Pittsburgh’s Week 3 contest is set for 1:00 p.m. ET.
Mike McCarthy Snaps at Reporter for Joey Porter Jr. Question