Pittsburgh is already in some serious hot water after cornerback Joey Porter Jr. didn’t even hit the field for their Week 1 home opener against the Atlanta Falcons, and now an NFL insider is blasting the team’s handling of the whole mess as “spineless.” This isn’t just a minor blip, folks; this situation has been simmering since training camp and is now boiling over into the regular season, causing major headaches for the Steelers.
The “Spineless” Truth: Injury or Contract Holdout?
NFL insider Aditi Kinkhabwala didn’t pull any punches, questioning the Steelers on Pittsburgh’s 93.7 The Fan. Porter Jr. was limited in practice *again* on Thursday, after being limited on Wednesday due to conditioning, not just his back injury. Kinkhabwala went straight for the jugular, asking if the team’s approach is “a little spineless.” She even suggested if it’s not the back anymore, the Steelers should “medically clear him and fine him” because it was “incumbent upon him to be conditioned.” Ouch. That’s a direct shot at both Porter Jr.’s readiness and the team’s willingness to hold him accountable. It really makes you wonder what’s actually going on behind closed doors. Is it a legitimate injury holding him back, or is it all about the money?
A Star CB Sidelined: What’s the Real Cost?
Porter Jr. first reported his back injury way back on the first day of Steelers training camp, and he didn’t even get back on the practice field until *after* the preseason wrapped up. Everyone, including the insider, thinks his absence through training camp was “almost certainly more about his ongoing contract dispute” than his back. Now that this drama has “lingered into the regular season,” fans are rightfully demanding a resolution. This isn’t some backup; Porter Jr. is coming off “arguably the best season of his NFL career,” racking up a career-high 14 passes defensed, 52 tackles, one sack, and one interception last year. As the No. 32 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, his career totals of 165 tackles, one sack, 31 passes defensed, and three interceptions show he’s a legit talent. Losing that kind of production is a massive blow, especially early in the season. The Steelers definitely wouldn’t be short on interested teams if they decided to part ways, but they’d need “a very nice return” to make it worth it. If both sides can’t find a middle ground soon, a trade might be the only card left to play.
Fans are on edge, and the team needs to figure this out, fast. The longer this drags on, the more it hurts their chances as the season rolls forward.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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