Getty Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told the media on September 12 why rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. only played six snaps in Week 1.
Joey Porter Jr. was teeming with confidence after picking off Lamar Jackson in the fourth quarter of the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ 17-10 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, October 8.
The rookie cornerback held his ground from the line of scrimmage to the end zone against wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. He put hands on Beckham early in the play. He kept his footing and he did not turn around nor look over his shoulder until he got his hands on the ball.
He talked that talk on the sidelines right after coming up big on third down in the game-saving play of the day.
“I’m like go ahead and run that. I already knew it was coming. Odell. Strapped his old ass. I told him,” Porter boasted.
Looking & Sounding Like a Seasoned Veteran
Joey Porter Jr. had some words for Odell after the INT👀
“STRAPPED HIS OLD ASS”
How can you not love this guy??
Porter had much reason to be amped after notching his first career interception. Doing so against one of the most dynamic pass-catchers of this generation, even at this advanced stage of his career, put a little extra gas in Porter’s tank.
The Penn State product was feeling it and his teammates next to him put a battery in his back.
Beckham is also the player that tends to find himself on the delivering end of trash talk, which is all the more reason why Porter responded as he did.
Trailing on third-and-goal late in the fourth quarter with the division lead on the line presented big stakes for the 23-year-old CB. Only the best rookies even see the field in situations like that, and Porter’s play showed that he wants to be in that conversation.
A Show of Respect From Porter to Steelers Rivals
When swarmed by the media in the locker room after the game, Porter had this to say:
“I’m the rookie out there against Odell Beckham on the third down,” Porter said. “I already kind of had that in the back of my mind, they’re going to try me on this play. [I was] just excited. Happy to make a play for the team in a crucial moment of the game and I just really put myself in that Steelers-Ravens rivalry.”
That’s usually how it goes. Let the emotions out on the field and dial it back for the press. Pittsburgh and Baltimore have had their fair share of battles since the Ravens received their own franchise in 1996.
Most recently, Jackson knocked the Steelers out of playoff contention in 2019 and the Steelers haven’t looked back since, winning three of the last four season series’ and drawing a tie in 2022.
Porter will be looking to turn the dial up on an impressive 81.9 Pro Football Focus player grade and clean up his two missed tackles on the year, but for now, being the talk of the town for all the right reasons should power him through the bye week into Week 7 against the Los Angeles Rams.