The Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off a tough loss, falling to the New England Patriots 20-3 on Sunday. Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. missed the game.
Porter hasn’t played in Pittsburgh’s first two games, and this past week he was on track to play in Week 2 before exiting practice with a back injury on Thursday.
Head coach Mike McCarthy updated Porter’s status on Monday.
“Mike McCarthy said Joey Porter Jr. had a back issue that flared up in practice last week. He’ll be evaluated again on Wednesday morning, via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor”
The Steelers Didn’t Extend Porter This Offseason
Porter has dealt with a back injury since the first day of training camp in July. The four-year cornerback didn’t participate in all of training camp or any preseason games, largely due to his back issues. However, some of his absence may also be related to not having a new contract.
In his fourth NFL season, Porter is heading into the final year of his rookie deal. He and the Steelers did not reach a new contract this offseason, and it appears that they will not negotiate new deals during the regular 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.”
Hopefully, the Steelers can get Porter on the field in Week 3 when they host the Cincinnati Bengals, who are 2-0 and have two of the NFL’s best wide receivers in Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase.
Steelers Have a Tough Test in Week 3
The Steelers face a tough challenge in Week 3 as they take on the Bengals’ offense. The Bengals, who usually start the season slowly, are 2-0 after two weeks and just beat a strong Texans team in Houston.
The Pittsburgh defense hasn’t been the issue in the first two weeks, but this week they’ll face the strongest offense the Steelers have seen so far. Quarterback Joe Burrow has thrown for 461 passing yards and three touchdowns with one interception this season. His wide receiver, Ja’Marr Chase, has nine receptions for 87 yards and two touchdowns, with most of those stats coming in Week 2, when he recorded seven receptions for 75 yards and two touchdowns. Additionally, Higgins has also been a great asset, with eight receptions totaling 154 yards.
Pittsburgh needs to find a way to win because it will be traveling on a short week to play the Cleveland Browns on “Thursday Night Football” in Week 4. The Steelers can’t risk being 1-3 and 0-2 in the AFC North after four weeks.
Steelers’ Mike McCarthy Provides Update on Joey Porter Jr. After Week 2 Loss to Patriots