The Pittsburgh Steelers have a reputation for being a tough defensive team, but that wasn’t the case this year. The Steelers’ defense slipped as age and injuries caught up to it, finishing the regular season 17th in points allowed and 26th in yards allowed.
While Pittsburgh’s defense received a lot of criticism this season as several players fell off, one player who didn’t was third-year cornerback Joey Porter Jr. After suffering a sophomore slump last year, Porter bounced back with the best season of his career thus far, helping his team win the AFC North for the first time since 2020.
Porter helped anchor the Steelers’ secondary, setting personal bests in passes defended and sacks despite playing the fewest games of his career. He also didn’t allow a touchdown all season, making life tough for opposing receivers and quarterbacks with his exceptional defense.
The 25-year-old has emerged as one of the league’s top cornerbacks and deserves a contract extension this offseason from Pittsburgh, which needs to get younger and faster if it wants to avoid continued defensive regression next year. Porter, whose father starred for the Steelers two decades ago, fits the bill.
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Pittsburgh already has the NFL’s priciest defense, but Porter deserves a raise and seems like a good investment. He’s in his prime and should still have several good years ahead of him.
Based on his stellar 2025 campaign, Porter is a player worth keeping around for the foreseeable future.
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Featured image via Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY Sports Images