Joey Porter Jr. is only entering his second season in the NFL, but he already believes he has established himself among the best at his position. He might even be the best!
Interviewed by Mark Kaboly of The Athletic site during a camp organized by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Joey Porter Jr, quite simply considers himself to be the best cornerback in the league.
“It’s clear to me,” he assured when asked for the name of the best player in his position. »
“There are a lot of good defensive backs in this league. But no one was doing what I was doing, defending against No. 1 receivers all year and shutting them down. I don't care if I'm mentioned among the top cornerbacks or not because they're going to know my name eventually either way. »
Coming off a promising rookie season with 11 starts in 17 games for 43 tackles (including one for loss) accompanied by an interception and 10 deflected passes, the former 2023 second round draft pick is therefore full of confidence.
Joey Porter Jr., constant confidence
The son of former Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Sr. (a little clue as to where that confidence comes from, perhaps) isn't resting on his achievements.
“I always try to keep my confidence high, as does my style. When I entered the field, I always felt like THE guy. You have to work to earn this respect but everyone understands what I can bring […]. I will always choose myself over anyone else. »
And the Steeler performs quite well on the field. His coach Mike Tomlin sent him on a mission to DeAndre Hopkins (a potential future Hall of Famer) just a week after his first start. The results: 1 pass caught on 5 and 72 yards for the Titans receiver.
Confirmation in 2024
Joey Porter Jr will not be alone in the Steelers backfield. Indeed, Pittsburgh leaders have set up an exchange for Donte Jackson from the Panthers.
What should Porter worry about? Not in the least, it's a challenge that he particularly enjoys.
“I wanted this from the start. I had that in mind when I arrived here. I talked to Coach T (Mike Tomlinson) about it to find out how we were going to be able to battle in practice with George Pickens. This is what I expect from this camp as well. »
The cornerback also confirms his intentions to gain more momentum in the Steelers system by adding a few kilos to the scale: objective 205 pounds (around 93 kg) after this season around 198-200.
“I think at 205 I can be more physical in the running game and at the line. »
Response in September.
