For many years, it’s been known around the NFL that the Pittsburgh Steelers do not negotiate with players once the regular season gets underway. It’s been a rule Art Rooney II has kept going since he took over as team president in 2003.
But the ongoing situation with Joey Porter Jr. has caused some to speculate if Pittsburgh would be forced to make an exception, especially since they also don’t have real interest in trading him. However, general manager Omar Khan shot those thoughts down while speaking with reporters on Monday.
Will the Steelers Make an Exception for Joey Porter Jr.?
In the midst of discussing the recent cuts, practice squad signing and the 53-man roster as it stands going into Week 1, Khan said the franchise’s longstanding rule still applies.
And if Khan is to be taken at his word, kickoff on Sept. 13th when the Steelers welcome the Atlanta Falcons to Acisure Stadium is now the deadline for a new deal to be agreed upon with Porter.
Of course, the main issue with this deadline is both sides still appear far from reaching a compromise, as evident in head coach Mike McCarthy admitting the Steelers are at an impasse with Porter last week. So while it’s certainly possible a longterm contract is finalized in the coming days, it’s also just as likely this lingers on and creates a cloud over the entire 2026 season.
Why the Steelers Are an ‘Impasse’ With Porter
Part of the impasse stems from the Steelers viewing Porter, a productive player who has yet to be named a Pro Bowler through three seasons, as shy of warranting a contact that would reset the market again. Porter, on the other hand, has watched similar players spike the market with big contracts throughout the offseason.
Porter, 26, is coming off a 2025 season in which he recorded 52 total tackles in 14 games. He also deflected 14 passes and picked off one. But Porter is two years removed from his best season of his young career yet. In 2024, Porter put up a career-high 70 combined tackles, 53 credited as solo, a couple tackles for a loss, seven pass deflections and an interception. He registered 43 tackles as a rookie.
A Porter Trade Would Be Emotional for Steelers Fans
If the Steelers are unwilling to budge, it will then be up to Porter himself to meet them in the middle. And if he’s unwilling to do that, all signs point to an eventual breakup between Pittsburgh and a player that comes with an additional factor unique to this situation, even if that divorce occurs after the conclusion of the 2026 season.
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 fudged 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.
Steelers GM Confirms Deadline to Negotiate With Joey Porter Jr.