Joey Porter Jr. Rejects Steelers' Contract Extension Offer, Will Play 2026 Season on Rookie Deal

Another layer has been added to the ongoing saga that is Joey Porter Jr.'s status with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Prior to Pittsburgh's Week 2 loss to the Patriots, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette told 102.5 WDVE (via Steelers Depot) that Porter rejected a contract extension that would have paid him slightly over $27 million for the 2026 season.

If Dulac's report is accurate, the Steelers offered Porter a deal that would have made him the seventh-highest-paid cornerback in the NFL by average annual value. The deal would have put him just ahead of Carolina's Jaycee Horn (who makes an average of $25 million annually) and just below Houston's Derek Stingley Jr. ($30 million).

Porter, 26, is in the final year of his rookie contract after he and the Steelers were unable to come to terms on a long-term deal this summer. Given Pittsburgh's longstanding tradition of not discussing contracts with players once the regular season starts, it appears that Porter will play the 2026 season under his rookie contract unless the Steelers either go against their policy or he is traded.

Porter was inactive during the Steelers' first two games, citing a back injury. During Pittsburgh's Week 2 loss to the Patriots, CBS Sports lead NFL sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson reported that the Steelers have cleared Porter of his back injury and that he is expected to be in good enough football shape to face the Bengals in Week 3. Whether or not he plays is up to him.

"The source told me they have nothing but respect for Porter and his family but it is still a long-standing tradition that the organization does not negotiate during the season," Wolfson wrote on X prior to kickoff. "One other thing to note the Steelers are not actively shopping him and have not received any calls regarding him either."

Steelers coach Mike McCarthy said on Monday that Porter's back injury flared up during last Wednesday's practice and that he will be evaluated on Wednesday morning.

Last season, Porter led the NFL in passer rating against as the primary defender in coverage (with a minimum of 60 pass attempts) with a 49.1 rating, via CBS Sports NFL writer Garrett Podell. No other corner allowed a sub-50 passer rating against.

Porter ranked ahead of other All-Pro and Pro Bowl cornerbacks who have received big paydays in recent years, like Denver's Patrick Surtain II (four years, $96 million), Stingley (three years, $90 million) and New England's Christian Gonzalez (four years, $135 million).