Reactions to Joey Porter, Junior trade from now old teammates

CLEVELAND (93.7 The Fan) – A loss on the field wasn’t the only thing the Steelers were reacting to in Cleveland Thursday night, the loss of a teammate with the trade of Joey Porter, Junior to Dallas.

Porter almost played Thursday?

Let’s start with this news, head coach Mike McCarthy said he had thoughts of Porter playing for them Thursday as soon as a day before the game.

“We were giving him every opportunity,” McCarthy said postgame. “There was a point there on Tuesday where I definitely thought it was a possibility and we were hopeful. We had a rep count in mind and that’s what we were working towards.”

Closest friend

No one was tighter on the team with Porter, Junior than Jalen Ramsey. He explained their relationship goes back to his first Pro Bowl when Porter’s dad was still coach and the Steelers staff was coaching in the game. He remembers Joey still being in high school and his dad told Ramsey to give a lookout to his son.

Ramsey gave Porter, Junior a pair of his cleats and Joey still has them to this day.

Joey Porter, Junior felt disrespected by Steelers

“Ever since then I’ve always kept an eye on Joey,” Ramsey said. “I felt like a big brother. Obviously, I would love nothing more than for Joey to be on this team, not only be on this team, but feel valued and feel like an important part. I felt like he really was.”

“It’s very unfortunate it didn’t work out. I hope to see him ball. I think he is a stud and think he’s a top five guy. I think Joey is a really good player, I really do.”

Ramsey said his exit from his first team was ‘similarish’ to what Porter, Junior dealt with. They talked all the time. Ramsey admitted he gave Porter, Junior advice. What was different between the two in switching teams was in Porter, Junior’s case, he didn’t want to leave.

“Joey loves Pittsburgh,” Ramsey said. “Joey loves this team. We all held out hope for as long as we could and it just didn’t work out.”

Other reactions

Aaron Rodgers

“You got to ask the defensive guys, they are around him more often. I thought Joey might play this week based on his practice stuff. We wish Joey well.”

Cam Heyward

“We’ve been playing without Joey for the last three weeks. Wish him the best, but as players on this team we have to be professionals.”

Alex Highsmith

“Joey was definitely our brother, all of us reached out to him. We know he’s going to be great. We know that we had a game today, we had to strap it up. Disappointed we didn’t get it done.”