Steelers rookie Joey Porter Jr earns another start after play against Jaguars

Joey Porter Jr was thrilled with his first NFL start. It took almost half the season for the Steelers cornerback to ease his way to the top of the depth chart. But the rookie was more than ready.

The first start happened Sunday. He stepped in for an injured player. Then coach Mike Tomlin told Porter, the Steeler legacy and former Penn State star, that he’s keeping the first-team spot. He practiced with the first team, Tuesday, as the Steelers (4-3) prepped for a home game Thursday night against the Titans (3-4).

“It hasn’t really hit me yet.” Joey Porter said in interviews with the media, Tuesday. “I know when it does, I will be even more excited about it.”

Porter started against the Jaguars, Sunday, when Levi Wallace couldn’t go. But Porter played well enough to keep the job. In his first extensive action of his career, Porter made five tackles, four of them solo,

The Steelers selected Joey Porter with the 32nd pick of the draft. Usually, the 32nd pick is in the first round. But the Dolphins forfeited their pick so 32 led off the second round. It was a difficult opening draft night for Porter, who saw himself as a first rounder. But he went home and watched the second night of the draft with his family, including dad, Joey Porter Sr. The elder Porter was a Steelers linebacker. And he didn’t earn a starting spot in Pittsburgh until his second year.

“It’s a blessing,” Joey Porter Jr said of his draft anxiety turned excitement. “I just always think about the night of the draft, how I was feeling, where I was mentally. Just the message that everyone important was giving to me. Just stay the course, just work with your head down. 

“It finally paid off. A lot of ups and downs, but it finally paid off.”

Next up is the Titans. Porter and new Tennessee quarterback Will Levis always will be linked by the draft. Like Porter, Levis slipped out of the first round. Porter was pick 32, with Levis at No. 33. Levis started for the first time last Sunday and threw four touchdown passes. Plus, the two were teammates at Penn State before Levis transferred to Kentucky.

It all plays into the confidence and preparedness factor for a cornerback.

“I’ve got the highest confidence right now in myself in what I can do on the field,” Joey Porter said. “Now that they gave me nuggets and eased me into the role, it was the best situation for me even though it stunk at the time because at the end you just want more. But I feel like they played it right and now I am ready.”