Cowboys Could Have a Joey Porter Jr. Problem

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is listed as questionable (ankle) for Sunday night’s game against the Green Bay Packers. Porter being questionable with an ankle injury comes on the heels of being inactive in last Thursday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers due to an illness. In addition, he had a months-long back injury with the Pittsburgh Steelers that caused him to miss the first four games before being traded. The back injury was always suspect, however, as he was going through a contentious contract negotiation with the Steelers’ brass. Speculation has emerged that Porter could be holding in once again. Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones threw cold water on that notion, however. “Oh, absolutely, I think he’s all in,” Jones said on his radio show Friday , via Jon Machota of TheAthletic.com. “He wants to be out there. He was sick [in Week 5 against the Bucs]. He couldn’t play last week with the flu. But he obviously played in our [Week 4 game against the Texans], and I think he’s fired up about what he can do to help us win against the Packers.” Amazon Prime Video pregame analyst and former NFL cornerback Richard Sherman didn’t seem particularly convinced that Porter’s illness was entirely legitimate against Tampa Bay. During the broadcast last Thursday night, Sherman openly speculated that Porter might have missed the game for contractual reasons, much like he declined to participate in Steelers practices for months with a specious back injury. “If they would have given him a new contract, maybe he would have been a little healthier today,” Sherman said. “I don’t know. This is speculation. I’m speculating right now. They’re saying it’s legitimate. … I think there’s going to be some decisions made with the contract.” Porter suited up for the Cowboys that Sunday, playing limited snaps against the Houston Texans in Week 4. He was listed on the Dallas injury report last week with an ankle injury, but was a full participant in all three sessions leading up to Thursday night, when he was spotted by cameras arriving at the stadium, but then quickly ruled out by the team. The Cowboys did not give Porter the contract extension he was looking for in Pittsburgh, and he is still bound by the rookie contract that he refused to play out with the Steelers. Alan Saunders contributed. Related Headlines Pittsburgh Steelers 2026 53-Man Roster, Practice Squad Former Steelers Running Back Arrested on Domestic Assault Charge Eagles’ Jalen Hurts Could Be Out vs. Steelers Read more at Steelers Now