‘Unreal To Play In There’: Joey Porter Jr. Set For Cowboys Home Debut Against Cardinals After Illness Wiped Out First Chance

FRISCO, Texas — Joey Porter Jr. has played three games for the Dallas Cowboys since they acquired him from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 1, and all three came on the road. Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals will be his first at AT&T Stadium.

His home debut was supposed to come on Oct. 8. Dallas ruled Porter out with an illness about 90 minutes before its Thursday night game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Cowboys lost 24-16 without him.

Most of Porter’s family is coming in for Sunday, he said after practice Wednesday, and they are already getting their jerseys ready. Dallas is 1-1 at home this season.

“Hopefully a good turnout, especially because it’s going to be my first time in there. Hopefully it’s going to be loud. I think so,” Porter said. “It’s a great stadium. I’ve been in there once when I was in college. So it’s going to be unreal to play in there finally.”

His father, Joey Porter Sr., played 13 NFL seasons as a linebacker for the Steelers, Miami Dolphins, and Cardinals. He made four Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl with Pittsburgh.

“That’s definitely not the first time I heard that, ever since I’ve been a kid,” Porter explained. “It’s kind of been that comparison. I’m like my mom on the outside, and when I get on the field, I’m kind of like my dad.”

“But I kind of am cool, calm, and collected for the most part. But then when I’m on the field, I turn it on a little bit,” Porter continued. “I just try to be energized and be for my teammates as much as possible.”

Joey Porter Jr. Keeps Count Of The Catches Against Him

Porter does not want to allow a slant, a 5-yard out, or a checkdown that picks up two yards. A third-down catch by a tight end in Monday’s 38-21 win over the Philadelphia Eagles still bothered him, even though Dallas got the stop on the play. Nobody on the staff has told him how many catches he has allowed this season.

“I think it’s two. Yeah, I give up two. Two little 5-yard outs or whatever. Yeah, I was pissed about it,” Porter said.

“I mean, as a DB, you never want to give up anything. And I really hold myself to a high standard when I’m on the field,” Porter added. “So, I definitely don’t want to give up any passes to anybody I think I shouldn’t be giving the passes to.”

Pittsburgh drafted Porter out of Penn State with the 32nd pick in 2023, the first selection of the second round. He started 41 of his 47 games over three seasons with the Steelers and made the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team as a rookie.

Porter did not play for Pittsburgh this season during a contract standoff and a back issue. The Cowboys sent a 2028 second-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick to the Steelers for him, and he is in the final season of his rookie contract. He made his Dallas debut on Oct. 4 at Houston, four days after the trade was first reported.

Porter Works Through Ankle Before Arizona Cardinals Visit

Porter suffered a minor ankle injury in practice during the week before Dallas’ Oct. 18 game at the Green Bay Packers. He was listed as questionable and played in the 23-13 loss. The Cowboys held a walkthrough Wednesday, and Porter was not among the players listed as limited or out on the estimated injury report.

The ankle is getting better, Porter said. He has dealt with a back issue, an illness, and the ankle since the start of the season.

“Sometimes I’ll be tweaking it here and there, so I just be, need to like rub it out and just jump around a little quick to get back out there,” Porter said.

Three games in, Porter is still getting to know his teammates. Thursday marks four weeks since Dallas announced the trade.

“I wouldn’t say I’m going through the growing pains anymore. I’m kind of getting, I think it’s my third, fourth week out here now,” Porter said. “So it’s been pretty good so far. I’m still getting to know the guys. They’ve been embracing me this whole time since I’ve been here, even the coaching staff. So, so far it’s been a great experience all around.”

The win in Philadelphia, which Dak Prescott called a must-win, was Dallas’ first since Oct. 4. The Cowboys are 3-4 and have not won back-to-back games this season.

“Man, just keep playing with energy. Keep the main thing the main thing,” Porter said. “There’s obviously still stuff we need to work on and stuff we need to fix. But in this league, you got to take your wins when they happen. And we’re just going to keep working on that and keep stacking.”

Arizona is 2-5 after a 30-16 home loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday. Cardinals tight end Trey McBride has at least 7 catches in all seven of Arizona’s games. The Cardinals have won the last four meetings with Dallas, dating to 2020.

Kickoff Sunday at AT&T Stadium is set for noon CT on FOX.