FRISCO, Texas – It's an obvious question that people in Dallas, of course Pittsburgh, and probably all around the NFL are wondering now that Joey Porter Jr. is in Dallas with a chance to play as early as this Sunday:
Why does he seem content to play with the Cowboys without a new deal when that wasn't the case in Pittsburgh?
Porter answered that question, and many others, on Thursday, his first day with the Cowboys after the trade from the Steelers. The topics ranged from his availability for Sunday's game in Houston to his relationship with former Steelers now in Dallas and the type of player he is. But the conversation eventually circled back to why he's excited about being with the Cowboys and how he's comfortable moving forward without a new contract.
"It's really just … bet on myself," Porter said. "You always gotta have that in yourself. I feel like at the end of the day, that's what I'm doing."
Fittingly, the song Porter chose to include in his Instagram post announcing his move to Dallas was "The Gambler" by Kenny Rogers, with poignant lyrics such as, "Know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away and know when to run."
Porter obviously stood his ground with the Steelers in hopes of securing a new contract. In the process, there was a level of disrespect that was hard to digest. The fact the Cowboys made the move to trade for him gives him positive vibes and has him eager to get on the field and prove himself to his new team.
"It's more about the value. I didn't feel like it was that over there (in Pittsburgh)," Porter said. "I feel they're showing me that they value me over here. I feel like that's all I need to show them. I definitely felt disrespected and definitely felt undervalued. I'm a Cowboy. I'm in Dallas. I'm happy for that."
With Pittsburgh and new head coach Mike McCarthy, Porter sat out the first three games with a back injury that now seems healed enough for him to practice this week in Dallas. In fact, Porter said he thought he could have played in Thursday's game for the Steelers in Cleveland.
But now, he's focused on being in Dallas, not just with a chance to play Sunday in Houston, but for the rest of the season, the final year of his original four-year contract.
And considering his father, Joey Porter, was a longtime player in Pittsburgh, the place where the cornerback grew up, one might assume he would have mixed feelings about leaving. But Porter Jr. said it was something he had already prepared himself for.
"I already accepted everything that came with it," he said. "I understood that it's a business at the end of the day, so whatever was the best step for me moving forward, I was willing to take that step, and I'm glad I landed here."
