Then-and-now: Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. follows in father’s footsteps

Joey Porter Jr. was selected 32nd overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2023 NFL Draft.

In his final season with the Penn State Nittany Lions, Porter Jr. led the FBS with a 38% pass breakup rate and didn’t allow a touchdown on 256 plays in coverage. Those accomplishments strengthened his case to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2022.

The Penn State standout was born a year after his father, Joey Porter Sr., was selected by the Steelers in the third round of the 1999 draft. Porter Sr. was a Super Bowl champion and four-time Pro Bowler in his 13 seasons as an outside linebacker for the Steelers, Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals.

“I remember putting on his shoulder pads and his helmet, running around trying to be just like him,” Porter Jr. said.

He spent plenty of time on NFL sidelines, including the Steelers’ Super Bowl XL win over the Seattle Seahawks.

Now, the new Steelers cornerback has another photo to add to the family’s collection.

“What you see out there, how he plays, that’s him. That’s JJ. That’s Joey Jr.,” Porter Sr. said. “He’s gonna make the name his, he’s going to add legacy to the name with the things that he can do and the things that he’s going to do. It’s really his turn, and I’m just sitting back watching.”

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