Joey Porter Jr., the Dallas Cowboys’ newly acquired cornerback, was a no-show for their Week 5 Thursday night game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Prime Video analyst Richard Sherman was NOT buying the official story. Reports flooded in that the fourth-year corner was out due to sickness, with NFL Network even saying he had a virus and was vomiting before kickoff. But if you know Sherman, you know he’s always got a take, and he dropped a bomb on the pre-game show that makes you wonder what’s really going on in Dallas.
Sickness or Something Else?
Picture this: Porter Jr. is spotted on Prime Video’s pre-game stream entering the AT&T Stadium locker room, then bam, he’s out with “sickness.” NFL Network went full detail, reporting a virus and pre-kickoff vomiting. Sounds pretty cut and dry, right? Not for Richard Sherman. He was on that pre-game set, munching popcorn dramatically, clearly signaling he knew more than he was letting on. “I’m very interested in how this is gonna go,” Sherman mused. “The Dallas Cowboys are dealing with a little bit of what the Pittsburgh Steelers were dealing with. Hey, is he gonna play? Is he not? Is he sick? Is he not? Is his back hurt? Is it not? Negotiations, this is a business.” That’s not just skepticism, that’s a direct shot at the official narrative, making you think there’s layers to this whole situation.
The Business of Football
Sherman’s comments hit different when you look at Porter Jr.’s recent history. The Cowboys only just landed him from the Steelers on October 1st, trading away a sixth-round pick next year and a 2028 Round 2 selection. Why was he available? He couldn’t hammer out a long-term extension with Pittsburgh, a team known for shutting down negotiations once the season starts. Porter Jr. didn’t even play a snap for the Steelers this season, citing a back injury at the time. He finally debuted for Dallas in their Week 4 win against the Houston Texans. So, from a holdout due to a back injury to a trade, to a sudden “sickness” after just one game with his new team? Sherman’s not wrong to connect those dots and remind everyone that the NFL is a business. It makes you wonder if there are still some lingering contractual issues or if the reported sickness is just a convenient cover for something else.
This whole drama leaves the Cowboys and their fans hanging. They just invested significant draft capital to get Porter Jr. on the field, and now this. What’s the real story? Will he be back for their next game? This ain’t just about a virus, it feels like there’s more at play, and Sherman’s not afraid to call it out.
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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