Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is officially a Dallas Cowboy, traded from Pittsburgh on Wednesday night, and he couldn’t be happier about it. The news hit Porter Jr. while he was at the movies, catching Brad Pitt’s *Heart of the Beast*, but the call was big enough to make him leave. He pulled an all-nighter just to get to Dallas in time to practice with his new team on Thursday.
New Chapter, New Beginnings for Porter Jr.
“Man, I was excited,” Porter told Patrik Walker of the team website. “I’m not even gonna lie. I was actually at the movies when I got the call, so I had to leave the movies and went home, but I am blessed. I am excited. I called my people and they were excited with me. New chapter, new beginnings, and I’m ready.” That’s a huge shift in energy, especially since he didn’t even play for the Steelers this season. The reason for his holdout was clear: he wanted a contract extension that never materialized. Porter Jr. felt “disrespected” and “underappreciated” by the Steelers, making it impossible for him to stay.
The “Value” Play: Why Dallas Was the Move
The Cowboys made the move to acquire Porter Jr. without giving him the long-term deal he was seeking, but he’s still ready to hit the field for Dallas. Why the change of heart? “It was the value,” Porter explained, via Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “I didn’t feel like it was really that over there [in Pittsburgh]. [Dallas] is showing me that they value me more over here. That’s really all I need to show what I can do.” He’s currently in the final year of his contract, playing on a $3.92 million base salary that Dallas will now inherit. Porter Jr. is clearly betting on himself, eager to prove his worth with a team that has already shown him what he needed to see.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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