It is all in the family for Joey Porter Jr. and his father and namesake Joey Porter Sr.
Porter Jr., 22, was a cornerback for Penn State University before being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers as the No. 32 overall pick (the first pick of the second round) of the 2023 NFL Draft.
In 1999, his father, a linebacker, was also drafted by the Steelers in the third round with the No. 73 overall pick.
Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr. is following in his father's footsteps to the Steelers 🔥
Perfect pick for Pittsburgh to start the 2nd round 🔒 pic.twitter.com/JtU8g4B032
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) April 28, 2023
Porter Sr. spent eight seasons playing for the Steelers and later served as a defensive assistant in 2014 and the outside linebackers coach from 2015-2018.
Porter Sr. Always Wanted Jr. To Outdo Him
Joey Porter Jr. feels no pressure because of his father’s legacy.
From an early age, his father made it clear that he wanted his son to be better than he was.
Porter Jr. recently recalled the conversation.
“As a kid I kind of did have a lot of weight on my shoulders because everybody wanted to be like him, play his position, but when I was young, he had that conversation with me that he wanted me to be better than him. And after that conversation, really, all the noise around me went quiet because we have that understanding. So it’s no pressure now.”
So far so good in the NFL, he is already outdoing his dad; Porter Jr. was drafted 41 spots (and one round) ahead of him.
A Happy Ending, Dad Does Not Have To Change His Allegiance
Before the draft, Porter Jr. was asked if his father would become a fan of one of the Steelers’ rivals if he was drafted there.
Porter Jr. hinted that could happen even if it meant his dad would become a Baltimore Ravens fan.
“Yeah, most definitely. And I feel like he’ll be a fan no problem because he’s going be supporting me at the end of the day. So, yeah, he’s going to be down with it. He’s going to have a Ravens jersey on if that happens.”
So many Steelers fans are happy that this worst-case scenario will not happen.
They look forward to seeing both Joey Porters around Acrisure Stadium in 2023.
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