Pittsburgh Review

Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. was presented with the PNC Joe Greene Great Performance Award at halftime, an accolade given annually to the team's rookie of the year. Porter was the 2023 recipient of the honor, voted on by the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America.

"I want to thank Coach (Mike) Tomlin, Mr. Omar (Khan), Mr. (Art) Rooney for making me become a Steeler," said Porter during halftime. "A dream come true. I want to thank you guys, Steelers Nation."

Porter, selected in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Steelers, demonstrated resilience and capability throughout his rookie season. He emerged as a key player assigned to cover top receivers from opposing teams.

"I'm really excited about the trajectory of his career," said Coach Mike Tomlin at the end of Porter's rookie season. "Probably the most impressive component of where he is, is his mindset. He wants the fight. He wants tough coverage. He's extremely competitive in that way. And that's a great place to build from. He's got growth ahead of him, but that's real solid."

Porter concluded the 2023 season with 42 tackles—32 solo stops—10 passes defensed, an interception against the Baltimore Ravens, and a tackle for loss.

Porter was also a finalist for NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year and was named to the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team.

Although he did not start at the beginning of the season, Porter's playing time increased progressively over six games, culminating in a starting role by Week 8 against Jacksonville Jaguars.

"I think about that often," said Porter, son of former Steelers linebacker Joey Porter Sr. "If I played Week 1, I don't know how my body would feel. I am glad they slowed the process down for me."

Drafted in the second round by Pittsburgh remains a motivating factor for Porter.

"It still gets under my skin sometimes," said Porter. "I felt like I was CB1 for sure, and it didn't pan out that way... Luckily it didn't pan out that way because I ended up here... It elevated my game even more because I came into league with a chip on my shoulder... I'm still proving myself every day when I step on field."

The Joe Greene Great Performance Award was established in 1984 and named after Hall of Famer Joe Greene.