Joey Porter Jr. wins Joe Greene award as Steelers' top rookie, Patrick Peterson gets nod as Chief recipient

It took seven games before Joey Porter Jr. made his first start at cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Once he got in the lineup, however, nobody could keep him out.

Porter has started the past 10 games heading into the season finale Saturday at Baltimore. His accomplishments in those games are a reason he was named the recipient Wednesday of the Joe Greene Great Performance Award, given annually to the team’s top rookie.

The award is presented by the local chapter of the Pro Football Writers’ Association. It has been handed out each year since 1984.

Porter’s father, Joey Porter, was a rookie on the Steelers in 1999 but watched wide receiver Troy Edwards come away with rookie honors.

“It’s something I’ll brag to him about when I get him,” Porter Jr. said.

Porter has totaled one interception, which came before he moved into a starting role, and 10 pass breakups this season, which ranks third on the team. His 42 tackles are tops among cornerbacks on the team, and he also has been regularly assigned to shadow the opposing team’s top wide receiver.

Porter is the first defensive player to win the award since Devin Bush in 2019 and the first cornerback to be named the team’s top rookie since Chad Scott in 1997.

Quarterback Kenny Pickett won the award in 2022.

“When the rookies came in and Kenny won his award and we had to show up for event, I said I wanted to win this,” Porter said. “I could see myself up here giving the speech.”

Veteran cornerback Patrick Peterson was named the recipient of the Chief Award, which is named after franchise founder Art Rooney Sr. and given annually to the organization member who “best exemplifies the spirit of cooperation with the media that he embodied.”

Peterson is the second player in his first year with the organization to win the award. Center Mason Cole was the recipient in 2022. He earned a media award earlier in his career when he played for the Arizona Cardinals.

Peterson called former Pitt star Larry Fitzgerald a mentor in terms of dealing with the media.

“I watched how he worked each and every day, on the field and in the locker room and his interactions with the media,” he said. “Not just the media, but whoever he crosses his path with. Seeing that for 10 years, it was easy to follow suit.”

It’s a responsibility Peterson said he takes seriously.

“I want to try to leave this organization in good hands and lead by example,” he said, looking over and nodding at Porter.

The Chief Award first was presented in 1988 — Dan Rooney was the inaugural winner — and is presented by the local PFWA chapter. The last cornerback to win the award was Joe Haden in 2018.

Peterson has two interceptions and a team-high 11 pass breakups. Peterson played in every game this season, starting all but one. He began the season at cornerback but has made his past two starts at safety because of an injury to Minkah Fitzpatrick.

“I always said if I had to play safety it probably was time for me to retire,” Peterson said. “Playing safety gives me so much joy because it’s something I’ve never done before. It makes coming to work that much more fun. It’s something different to me.”