Steelers At ‘Impasse’ With Joey Porter Jr.

“I learned this in my early years as a head coach: You have to separate the business and football,” McCarthy said on Monday (via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor). “This is a challenge for both Joey and us because we’re first-year staff… I would love the opportunity to coach Joey Porter. I know our defensive guys would love the opportunity. So we’re at an impasse right here, and you’ve got to respect that.”

Porter has loomed as a logical candidate for a big-money extension this offseason ahead of the final year of his rookie deal. No serious negotiations took place leading up to training camp, though, and McCarthy’s remarks certainly suggest there has not been progress made in recent days. Pryor confirms the Steelers have not made or received any trade calls regarding the fourth-year cornerback.

Pittsburgh has a long-standing philosophy of not negotiating deals during the middle of a season. The artificial Week 1 deadline is fast approaching, and Pryor adds team and player are not on the verge of an agreement. Porter, 26, could soon find himself on track for a high-profile trip to free agency next spring as a result.

Serving as a defensive regular throughout his tenure, Porter has racked up 31 pass deflections in three seasons. The Penn State product showed improvement in terms of penalties in 2025 while thriving in coverage. Expectations will remain high for another impactful campaign under new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. A strong showing in 2025 would no doubt increase the cost of a long-term Porter deal, whether it would come from the Steelers or another team.

Time remains for the Steelers and Porter’s camp (both of which are acutely aware of the CB market’s upward growth this offseason) to come to an agreement on an extension. As things currently stand, however, there is considerable work still to be done.