As a player, Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. continues to amaze. Against the Cincinnati Bengals, Porter allowed a mere 22.2% completion rate from Joe Burrow — his best of the season and career second-best.
However, as a defender, Porter is a magnet for penalty flags and continues to frustrate by being overly handsy. He was called for four penalties against the Bengals — a total of nine on the season for 111 yards — including two in the end zone that set the ball at the 1-yard line.
While Mike Tomlin has downplayed concerns about Porter’s penalties, it’s becoming a noticeable pattern. If Porter doesn’t tighten up his technique, opposing quarterbacks will likely target him even more. Burrow and the Bengals gifted a formula to Jameis Winston, Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes: Throw Porter’s way to draw a flag.
Porter is no stranger to being called for penalties, as it followed him from his days at Penn State. The Steelers knew that Porter was grabby when they took him at No. 32 overall in the 2023 NFL draft, and it was a weakness littered throughout scouting reports.
Constant flags overshadow Porter’s greatness. Hopefully as Porter grows as a player, he’ll learn he can still be great without being grabby.
