Battling George Pickens in practice, Steelers’ Joey Porter Jr. intends to be ‘shutdown corner’ in ‘24
As a rookie in 2023, Joey Porter Jr. quickly earned the trust of Pittsburgh Steelers coaches in duties as a so-called “shutdown corner.” By the end of the season, Porter was regularly tasked with lining up opposite the opponent’s most potent receiving threat each week.
In Year 2, Porter intends to be doing the same.
“We are going to talk about it (with coaches), but I think that’s the case,” Porter said after the year’s final Steelers organized team activities session Thursday. “I really don’t know, but that’s my intentions.”
Time will tell if Porter is following Atlanta No. 1 receiver Drake London around the field during the season opener against the Falcons on Sept. 8. But what is known is that Porter is matching up with Steelers WR1 George Pickens as much as he can during spring workouts.
The two developed a friendly practice rivalry last season, their one-on-one matchups making for must-see moments at training camp. They continued throughout the season at practice, and Porter said that has carried over to these OTAs.
“It’s the same. We are gunning for each other every day that we get a chance to,” Porter said. “And I am looking forward to training camp. I know it’s gonna be spicy, but I am ready for it.”
Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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