Steelers' Mike McCarthy drops big Joey Porter Jr. contract update

Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Steelers' Mike McCarthy drops big Joey Porter Jr. contract update

By Ernesto Cova | Last updated Sep 8, 2026 8:50 AM ET

The New England Patriots just made Christian Gonzalez the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.

Notably, he's not the only player at the position who was disgruntled with his contract situation. And while the Pittsburgh Steelers won't give Joey Porter Jr. anything close to the market-setting deal Gonzalez received, it looks like they've changed their approach with their star cornerback.

According to ESPN insider Brooke Pryor, head coach Mike McCarthy shared an optimistic update on the seemingly stalled contract negotiations.

Steelers are still trying to get something done with Joey Porter Jr.

"Mike McCarthy says of Joey Porter Jr. and contract negotiations that, 'There's definitely business conversations going on.' And says 'we'll see what happens' if Joey Porter Jr. doesn't play," Pryor shared on X. "He also said Porter continues to be in a 'ramp up' period."

Mike McCarthy says of Joey Porter Jr. and contract negotiations that, "There's definitely business conversations going on."

And says "we'll see what happens" if Joey Porter Jr. doesn't play.

He also said Porter continues to be in a "ramp up" period.
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) September 7, 2026

While Porter is reportedly healthy, he had a brief stint on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list with a back injury early on in training camp. Of course, the timing of the injury raises questions about whether he's actually hurt, but that's neither here nor there.

The Steelers will host Tua Tagovailoa and the Atlanta Falcons for the season opener. While the Falcons' quarterback situation is far from ideal, they do have some playmakers for the passing game, highlighted by Drake London.

Porter may not be a star of Gonzalez's caliber, but he's still a rising star at a prime position. Not having him out there for Week 1 could be a huge issue for the Steelers secondary. There's still time to get a deal done, so even though they didn't seem too eager to pay him, it looks like things are finally back on track.

Ernesto Cova

Ernesto is a bilingual (English-Spanish) sports writer with over eight years of experience covering major leagues such as the NBA, NFL, and MLB. Ernesto’s work focuses on providing insightful, up-to-date coverage of sports, blending his expertise in sports psychology with a passion for analyzing player performance, team dynamics, and trade developments across various sports leagues

More must-reads: