Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr.'s 'serial killer mentality' is serving him well amid bumpy patch

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Joey Porter Jr. thrives on the pressure.

Wants it. Invites it. Needs it.

Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin first noticed it more than a decade ago, when Porter was just a kid running around the team facility while his father, Joey Porter Sr., served as an assistant coach.

There was something about the way the younger Porter carried himself, a swagger, that made him stand out and served as a precursor to the professional life that was ahead for the second-year cornerback.

Tomlin described it as a “serial killer's mentality,” though Tomlin's description of what that actually means isn't as chilling as it sounds.

"He’s not running from the fight, he’s running to the fight," Tomlin said. "You better have a short memory at that position, and he’s always had it. He was probably nine or 10 when I met him, and he had it then."

It's one of the reasons the Steelers practically sprinted to the podium to take Porter with the first pick of the second round in the 2023 draft, a full-circle moment for a Pittsburgh native well-versed in the franchise's history of excellence at one of the most demanding positions on the field.

Porter has not been shy about wanting to become known as an elite defender and is unafraid to ask for the toughest assignments, only too aware that things won't always go his way.

Good thing, because of late, they haven't. Porter has found himself being targeted frequently by opposing quarterbacks, looking to use the 24-year-old's innate aggressiveness against him. The results have been a steady stream of flags and the referee finishing his call with “No. 24, defense.”

Porter found himself on the wrong side of a call four times in last Sunday's 44-38 victory over Cincinnati as he ping-ponged in between Bengals stars Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Twice he was flagged for holding. Twice he was cited for pass interference.

It wasn't ideal, to be clear. It also wasn't the end of the world. Porter stood at his locker in the aftermath and answered every question, then did the same on Wednesday.

Tomlin made it a point to say the issues with Porter are technical, not mental. It's one of the reasons neither Porter nor his coach seem concerned about one shaky performance bleeding into another, something the first-place Steelers (9-3) can't afford when Jameis Winston and pass-happy Cleveland (3-9) visit Acrisure Stadium on Sunday.

“I've just got to keep playing my game and don’t let (the penalties) affect me,” Porter said.

Asked if that was easier said than done, Porter nodded.

“Definitely,” he said. "Playing DB is a hard position, but you got to have that mentality anyways. That’s the world we live in and I feel like I’m capable of doing that."

In some ways, Porter didn't really have a choice. Not with his father — one of the most prolific and productive trash-talkers in the NFL during a 13-year career as a linebacker that included four Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl ring he earned with the Steelers in 2005.

He preached the virtues of not letting one play, one moment, one game chip away at the confidence necessary to survive in a pass-happy game.

“He’d been telling me that since I was a young kid,” Porter said. "I know what I got to do to be great, look good, and to help this team win."

It's telling that for all the flags against him — Porter has been penalized nine times, tops on the Steelers and tied for second in the league among defensive players — he has yet to allow a touchdown pass in coverage.

It's a tradeoff the Steelers can live with in general. Porter's 6-foot-2 frame is one of the reasons he was among the most coveted cornerbacks in his draft class. His size is unusual for his position, and necessary given some of the matchups he draws, such as the 6-foot-4 Higgins.

“You have to match the physicality of these big people, and sometimes you do so at risk," Tomlin said. “And that’s just a tightrope that I and he are willing to walk in an effort to be competitive."

There are certain tendencies Porter has noticed on film that he needs to clean up, particularly around the line of scrimmage. The hiccups that have popped up recently are correctable. The problems that could crop up if Porter started doubting his own ability are another matter. He insists that's hardly the case.

“Things happen, you know that,” he said. “I like to bounce back and prove myself again. So that’s what I got to do this upcoming Sunday.”

He likely won't lack for opportunities. Winston is coming off a 497-yard performance in a loss to Denver, and the Steelers had trouble keeping Joe Burrow in check in Cincinnati. Winston is not afraid to test opposing cornerbacks. Porter is not afraid to be tested.

“I’m trying to be great,” he said. “And I know to do that, I got to clean up with the stuff I’ve been doing. So I just face it and keep working.”

NOTES: LB Alex Highsmith (ankle) was limited in practice on Wednesday and is nearing a return after missing the past three games. ... WR Calvin Austin III (concussion) was limited.

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Will Graves, The Associated Press