Mike McCarthy hopeful that Joey Porter will play Week 1

Published September 7, 2026 04:22 PM The Steelers do not negotiate contract extensions once the season starts. Thus, time is running out for the team to complete a long-term deal with cornerback Joey Porter.“It’s a business, and there’s definitely business conversations going on,” head coach McCarthy said Monday, via Jack Markowski of SI.com. McCarthy insinuated that he expects Porter to play regardless how talks turn out before Sunday’s season opener against the Falcons.“Yeah, I hope so,” McCarthy said. “You know, just keep working him. He’s still, I’d put him in a ramp-up mode.”When asked what happens if Porter doesn’t play, McCarthy said, “We’ll see what happens.” Porter practiced for the first time last Tuesday after spending all of training camp on the active/physically unable to perform list. But last week he was noncommittal about playing Week 1 absent a contract extension.Porter, a second-round pick in 2023, is entering the final year of his rookie contract scheduled to make $3.924 million this year.He is coming off a career year, totaling a career-high 14 passes defensed to go along with 52 tackles, one sack and one interception.