The Pittsburgh Steelers had a tough Week 4 when they played the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field and lost 27-24 on “Thursday Night Football”.
But the loss wasn’t the only big thing that happened to the Steelers on Thursday. Early in the morning, the Steelers finally ended their drama with cornerback Joey Porter Jr. by trading him to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2027 sixth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick.
Head coach Mike McCarthy spoke about the trade after the game.
“You never hope business gets in the way of your preparation. It’s the modern NFL; it’s a situation that has been going on for some time. It actually felt like it was the best thing for us, and we wish Joey well. I never really got a chance to coach Joey, but he did some great things here, and I wish him the best in Dallas.” McCarthy said, via Mark Kaboly.
Porter Is in the Last Year of His Rookie Deal
The Steelers drafted Porter with the 32nd pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. However, this was not a first-round selection, as the Miami Dolphins forfeited their first-round pick that season. Since the Steelers selected Porter in the second round, he was not eligible for a fifth-year option for next season. This means he would have become a free agent after this season, and he expressed interest in a new contract, but the Steelers wouldn’t bite.
Pittsburgh and Porter couldn’t reach a deal all offseason and into training camp. Once the regular season started, the Steelers made it clear they wouldn’t offer him a new contract because the team doesn’t negotiate new deals during the season.
“We won’t talk publicly about the negotiations, but Joey knows how we feel about him, and I still hope Joey finishes his career here,” Steelers general manager Omar Khan said in late August. “Our policy is going to remain in place, but I’m not going to talk about negotiations.”
Once the Steelers didn’t reach a deal with Porter, it felt like he would never return to the team. He also missed all of training camp due to a back injury and didn’t appear in any games this season.
Steelers’ Mike McCarthy Breaks Silence on Joey Porter Jr. Trade to Cowboys