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Steelers Inactivate Joey Porter Jr. for Week 1 Opener

By Drooid · Sep 13, 2026, 10:22 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Steelers Inactivate Porter

The Steelers made cornerback Joey Porter Jr. inactive for the Week 1 opener.
He missed training camp and practiced limitedly because of a back injury on the PUP list.
The contract-negotiation deadline expired at kickoff on Sept. 13, leaving him without a new deal.
Pittsburgh is willing to trade Porter for a premium draft pick, likely a first-rounder.
Porter denied rumors he wants to be the highest-paid cornerback, calling it “internet hype.”

Summary

Steelers Name Emergency QB

The Steelers named Will Howard the emergency third quarterback for Week 1.
NFL rules require the emergency QB to be on the 53-man roster and listed 90 minutes before kickoff.
Falcons listed Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. as inactive, reflecting similar depth concerns.
Mike McCarthy begins his Steelers tenure using a four-quarterback roster structure.
Falcons placed tackle Cameron Williams on injured reserve, impacting their offensive line for the game.

History

Historical Context

After the 1993 collective bargaining agreement—negotiated by the NFLPA and owners—unrestricted free agency and a $34.6 million salary cap reshaped roster building. The Steelers used that model, signing Rod Woodson to a $9 million deal that season. Today, the team’s trade of Joey Porter Jr. for a first-round pick reflects the same cap-driven overall strategy.

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Steelers Inactivate Porter

The Steelers made cornerback Joey Porter Jr. inactive for the Week 1 opener.
He missed training camp and practiced limitedly because of a back injury on the PUP list.
The contract-negotiation deadline expired at kickoff on Sept. 13, leaving him without a new deal.
Pittsburgh is willing to trade Porter for a premium draft pick, likely a first-rounder.
Porter denied rumors he wants to be the highest-paid cornerback, calling it “internet hype.”

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