Steelers' Joey Porter Jr Seriously Disappointed As Joe Greene Award Surprise Is Ruined

Porter Jr. came into the league with a lot to live up considering that his father, Joey Porter Sr., is seen as one of the great Steelers defenders. After Porter Jr. found out that the Pittsburgh Chapter of Pro Football Writers of America had selected him for the Steelers' Joe Green Great Performance Award, the first thing he wanted to do was surprise his dad.

"He told me he already knew about it, which kinda bummed me out. I was kind of mad, I don't even know. He told me somebody had leaked it, and [I] told him, 'How'd they tell you before me?' So that kind of ruined it, but he was still happy for me and congratulated me like he always does. So, it was a good little thing."

That didn't turn out exactly as he thought it would, and while it was still a special moment, Porter Jr. was disappointed that he wasn't the one to let his father know. Everyone remembers the emotional moment between the father and son on draft night after Porter Jr wasn't selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. There are sure to be many firsts in Porter Jr's career, and hopefully, in the future, he will make sure that no one wrecks another surprise of his.

Steelers Will Need Porter Jr. Against Buffalo

Being seen as the standout rookie on the 2023 Steelers is certainly something that Porter Jr. will remember and hold dear, but it is far from the hardware he is truly aiming for. If the Steelers' rookie cornerback wants to give his team the best chance to advance to the Divisional Round of the 2023 playoffs, he will need to have the best game of his young career.

Porter Jr. hasn't been shy about wanting to follow opponents' number one receiver, regardless of who will be across from him. On Monday afternoon, Porter Jr's job will be to shut down one of the league's best receivers, Stefon Diggs. With the possibility that snow could play a large role in the game, despite it being moved by a day, the passing game could be rare, which makes every single pass vital.

There might not be double-digit chances for Diggs to try and make an impact, so Porter Jr. will have to be practically perfect to ensure the Bills' attack never gets going. With the probability of high winds and generally challenging weather, the game will come down to a few key plays. If it all comes down to the matchup between Diggs and Porter Jr., the Steelers have to feel pretty good about the chance their young cornerback gives them.