
Steelers Trade Joey Porter Jr. After Back Pain Claim Ends Contract Standoff
The Pittsburgh Steelers traded cornerback Joey Porter Jr. after he claimed back pain on Wednesday, marking the final break in a months-long contract dispute. Porter, who has not played this season, was a full participant in Monday and Tuesday practices but was ruled out for Thursday’s game against the Cleveland Browns. The move mirrors the Dallas Cowboys’ 2025 trade of Micah Parsons, as teams increasingly trade players who hold out via injury claims rather than negotiate during the season. Porter, earning $3.9 million in the final year of his rookie deal, achieved his goal of leaving Pittsburgh, while the Steelers avoided a potential legal battle over the legitimacy of his injury.













