Joey Porter Jr. Traded 24 Hours Before Kickoff, And Mike McCarthy Has No Answer For What Hit His Team

The Steelers took a brutal 27-24 loss against Cleveland, and it all went down just hours after a blockbuster trade that sent cornerback Joey Porter Jr. to the Cowboys. Talk about a gut punch right before kickoff, with the move happening less than 24 hours before their Week 4 matchup.

McCarthy’s Wildly Vague Response to Trade Impact

After the game, Steelers coach Mike McCarthy got grilled on whether the timing of the Porter Jr. trade, you know, selling off a key player the night before a game, had a negative impact on his squad. And his answer? It was a masterclass in dodging the question. He basically said he couldn’t speak for every individual, admitting the trade was “the night before a game” and “I’m sure that’s what the guys woke up to.” But then he just threw up his hands and called it “part of our business.” Seriously, coach? You lose a core player right before a game, and you can’t even begin to guess if that might mess with your team’s focus? What gives?

The “Modern NFL” Excuse Is Getting Old

McCarthy tried to frame the whole “Porter saga” as the classic “business and football” dilemma, muttering that you “never hope business…gets in the way of your preparation and playing, but…it’s the modern NFL.” He tried to smooth it over by saying it had “been going on for some time” and that the organization felt it was “the best thing for us.” He even gave a shout-out to Joey, wishing him well and claiming he “never really got a chance to coach Joey” but that Porter “did some great things here.” It honestly just sounds like a lot of corporate-speak to explain away trading a key player right before a divisional game and leaving your team to wake up to that news on game day.

So, the Steelers dropped a crucial game, and their coach is out here acting like a major trade had zero impact on his players. Whether McCarthy actually knows the real impact or not, the bottom line is the Steelers walked away with a loss after a seriously disruptive trade. They’re going to have to figure out how to put this “business” decision behind them and get ready to go next week.

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Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.