Joey Porter Jr. sat out the season opener against the Atlanta Falcons while rehabilitating a back issue. He had been limited in practices the previous week and was in the early stages of ramping up ahead of Week 2.
The Steelers are preparing for a Sunday road matchup with the New England Patriots, making Porter’s availability crucial for Mike Tomlin’s defense. However, the latest practice developments could complicate his status for the game.
Porter left Thursday’s practice with a trainer after taking part in some individual drills, according to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. He had previously participated in individual work, indicating some level of participation despite the ongoing ramp-up.
Coach Mike Tomlin had signaled before practice that Porter would increase his workload from the previous day, with the expectation that he would do more on Thursday. Porter had been listed as a limited participant on Wednesday, with his designation shifted from a back injury to non-injury-related conditioning. The Steelers’ official injury report currently lists him as limited with non-injury-related conditioning.
This latest setback follows Porter’s absence from the season opener, a game the Steelers won 20-13. His absence left Pittsburgh without a starting cornerback they had hoped to rely on this season.
Tomlin has previously stated that Porter remains in a ramp-up process and would participate in full practices when ready. The coach also noted that Porter stays in close communication with the training and strength-and-conditioning staffs as the team determines when he can return to full participation.
Porter’s status will continue to be monitored as the Steelers prepare for Sunday’s game against the Patriots at 1 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium. Pittsburgh will assess Porter’s ability to practice and his overall readiness through the remainder of the week to determine if he can make his 2026 debut against New England.
