The Pittsburgh Steelers moved on from Joey Porter Jr. this week, but Jalen Ramsey isn’t putting the entire breakup on his former teammate.
Following Pittsburgh’s 27-24 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night, Ramsey addressed the trade that sent Porter to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2028 second-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick.
Steelers Now’s Brendan Howe asked Ramsey about Porter’s departure, and the veteran cornerback offered a response that could raise some eyebrows inside and outside the organization.
“The Steelers chose which route they wanted to go, as well. It’s not all on Joey. I know it’s easy for people to wanna be mad at Joey. … But it’s a business decision.”
Ramsey didn’t accuse Pittsburgh of anything beyond making its own choice. But after weeks of questions about Porter’s contract, health and future, he also made it clear he doesn’t believe all of the blame belongs on the player.
Jalen Ramsey Pushes Back on Joey Porter Jr. Blame
Porter’s situation had been building since the offseason.
He entered the final year of his rookie contract looking for a new deal, but Pittsburgh never reached one with him. Porter then missed the first three games of the season while dealing with a back injury and conditioning issues before the Steelers traded him just before their Week 4 game against Cleveland.
The timing made the split look abrupt. The buildup wasn’t.
The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov reported that Pittsburgh never made a serious effort to extend Porter during the offseason before making a last-minute push before the season. That attempt went nowhere, and the Steelers’ longstanding policy of not negotiating contracts during the season only complicated the situation.
Meirov also reported that Pittsburgh had been quietly open to trading Porter during the offseason and initially wanted a 2027 first-round pick. No team met that price.
By the time Dallas made its move, the return had dropped to a 2028 second-rounder and a 2027 sixth-rounder.
Steelers Made Their Own Joey Porter Jr. Decision
Porter had denied requesting a trade and maintained that his back injury was legitimate before Pittsburgh eventually sent him to Dallas.
The Steelers, meanwhile, had choices throughout the process. They could have pursued an extension earlier, moved Porter when their reported asking price was higher or continued trying to get him back on the field.
Instead, the relationship ended with Dallas becoming the beneficiary.
Porter leaves Pittsburgh after appearing in 47 games and making 41 starts. He recorded 165 tackles, 31 passes defensed and three interceptions during his three seasons with the Steelers.
Ramsey now remains one of the most prominent veterans in a Pittsburgh secondary that suddenly looks different without Porter. He played Thursday night despite dealing with a broken wrist suffered in the Steelers’ Week 3 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
That makes his willingness to speak up about Porter’s exit notable.
Players often keep trade and contract matters at arm’s length, especially when discussing a teammate who just left the building. Ramsey didn’t do that.
He acknowledged the business side of the NFL, but he also pushed back on what he sees as an easy narrative: blame Porter for how everything ended.
“The Steelers chose which route they wanted to go, as well.”
For a team that spent months insisting Porter’s situation would work itself out, that line is going to stick.
Jalen Ramsey Turns Heat Back on Steelers Over Joey Porter Jr. After Browns Loss