The Pittsburgh Steelers will host the Atlanta Falcons at 1 p.m. EST at Acrisure Stadium, and there are a few big names that won’t be suiting up in Week 1.
Pittsburgh announced its inactive players at 11:30 a.m. EST, and the big one was star cornerback Joey Porter Jr., who was on the list along with five other players.
Steelers Week 1 Inactive Players
Quarterback Drew Allar
Quarterback Will Howard
CB Joey Porter Jr.
Guard Gennings Dunker
Defensive End Kevin Jobity
Defensive End Gabe Rubio
The Steelers designated Howard as the third quarterback as an emergency option, which means Allar will not see the field at all against the Falcons.
Pittsburgh decided to take four quarterbacks on its 53-man roster this season, and since Howard has been in the NFL a year longer than Allar, it was probably a smart move to have him as the third quarterback for the Week 1 game.
Even though Howard has never played a regular season NFL game, seeing what a typical NFL Sunday looks like is significant. Since Allar has never experienced it before, it makes sense to have Howard as the third quarterback.
Howard may not see the field, since something would have to happen to both Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph. But stranger things have happened in the last week with quarterbacks, and you can just ask the Falcons, who are starting their third-string quarterback, Cooper Rush.
The Steelers Could Have a Problem on Their Hands With Porter
Porter isn’t suiting up on Sunday due to a back injury that he suffered during the first day of training camp, but he is also dealing with a contract issue that didn’t get resolved.
The 26-year-old cornerback is entering the final season of his rookie contract, and he will not be receiving a contract extension this year. Pittsburgh will not negotiate new deals with players and staff once the season starts, so Porter will not get a new contract.
“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.”
Porter could be a potential trade candidate this season. The Steelers might consider trading him since he doesn’t have a new contract. They likely want to avoid having him sit out the season and don’t want to lose him to free agency next year without any compensation.
Who’s Inactive vs. Falcons? Steelers Finalize Joey Porter Jr.’s Status and Set QB Plan With Drew Allar and Will Howard