PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – There were some national reports Sunday Joey Porter, Junior didn’t dress for the Steelers game, and eventual 20-13 win over Atlanta, because he didn’t get a contract extension. What Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy said about Porter and where a few key teammates stand on him.
Porter, Junior was scratched officially 90 minutes before the game when inactives had to be declared. What it because of injury or contract?
“I would clearly still put him just finishing up the ramp-up stage as far as where he is,” McCarthy said. “We sat down and talked about it, talked about the plan for next week. He's definitely ready to do more. So, we'll see how that goes.”
“He'll do something tomorrow, and then hopefully we can take his snaps up at Wednesday's practice.”
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That sounds like it’s all about returning from a reported tweaked back suffered on the first day of training camp which coincides with how players looking for contracts would ‘hold-in’ and not practice, but still be around the team.
So, Porter, Junior not playing was not contract-related?
“The business part of it, that's not for me to speak on,” McCarthy said. “But yeah, we had a plan for him to go through ramp-up workout through last week, and that's really the timeline that we're just hopefully coming to an end to.”
There has been a lot of hope during this process. What we know for sure, unless Steelers management makes an exception, Porter, Junior will not get a contract extension. The team has a self-imposed deadline in negotiating until kickoff of the first game.
Porter, Junior wasn’t spotted during warmups, eventually seen on the sidelines with a hood over his head.
Linebacker Patrick Queen said he didn’t know Porter, Junior wouldn’t play. He also didn’t seem sure it if didn’t dress because of injury or maybe he didn’t play because of his contract.
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“Whether he’s sitting out because of his back, him sitting out because he’s not getting paid, we support him regardless,” Queen said. “That would never change. That would never change because of circumstances. That will never change because the talk around that it is selfish, end of the day he’s putting his body on the line.”
“It’s his life, it’s his career. He’s put himself on the line every single game, it’s his decision at the end of the day and we respect it.”
“We are here to support Joey in any way possible,” said Cam Heyward, who has been involved in several contract situations with the Steelers. “I wish it would have gotten done, not my decision, but I still think he will be a Pittsburgh Steeler in the future.”
“I want to support Joey the best way I can and hopefully he comes back to us whenever he is ready and we’ll go from there.”
Steelers are 1-0 without Porter, Junior holding third-string quarterback Cooper Rush to 143 yards passing. According to McCarthy there is a chance he plays in New England next week. Either way, a few of the veterans have his back.
“We love Joey,” Queen said. “We definitely appreciate him being here. If he wasn’t here, we would still love him the same. That’s our guy, we rock with him. We want him here. We want him to get paid. It’s a tough situation, we support him fully.”Steelers comments as Joey Porter, Junior was inactive for Week 1
Steelers comments as Joey Porter, Junior was inactive for Week 1
