The Pittsburgh Steelers may have a budding star on their hands in rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr, who drew a tough assignment against Tennessee Titans All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins during Thursday night's 20-16 win. Porter was more than up to the task, as he shut down Hopkins whenever he was lined up opposite the Titans wideout.
Not only did Porter take Hopkins out of the game, but he was also adamant about wanting to cover the Titans star, making the bold request to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin before the showdown on Thursday Night Football, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.
Joey Porter Jr wanted to cover DeAndre Hopkins
“On Tuesday, I went to Coach T and told him, ‘I want 10.’ That’s what I was looking for. I don’t really hide from nothing. I said, ‘That’s the matchup I want, that’s the matchup I need.”
Porter told Tomlin that he “wanted 10”, which is Hopkins' number, adding that he doesn't “hide from anything.” The Steelers rookie made it clear to Tomlin that he “needed” the matchup.
It certainly says a lot about where Porter is from a confidence standpoint just eight games- seven contests when he made the request- into his NFL career. But it speaks volumes that the Steelers corner not only wanted the assignment, but he excelled at covering Hopkins as well.
Joey Porter Jr vs DeAndre Hopkins by the numbers
Per Next Gen Stats, Porter lined up against Hopkins on 26 of 36 routes, which amounts to a 72.2 percent shadow rate, with many of those opportunities coming in press coverage.
While facing off against Porter, Hopkins caught just one reception for 17 yards on five targets. The Titans wideout managed to haul in three passes for 43 yards against other Steelers defenders.
As Pittsburgh fans would like to say, the rookie gave Hopkins a nice, warm welcome to Porter Island, where opposing wide receivers are always welcome. So, how was Porter able to slow down Hopkins?
How the Steelers rookie shut down Hopkins
Porter, who said he has a lot of respect for Hopkins, spoke to reporters after the game, saying that he played the talented wideout “physically.” The Steelers defender said that prompted Hopkins to begin complaining to the officials about the calls, or lack thereof.
“He kept asking for calls. I was like, ‘You’re doing the pushing. How can you ask for calls when you’re doing the pushing?”
It's clear that Porter not only made Hopkins uncomfortable on the field, but he also seemed to get into the Titans wideout's head. To that, Steelers fans will say, like father, like son.
Porter Jr following in Porter Sr's Steelers footsteps
Porter Sr, who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers back in 1999 and spent much of his career in the Steel City, was one of the NFL's most renowned trash talkers.
Not only was Porter, a former All-Pro with 98 career sacks to his name, a menace on the field, but he was also a constant chatterbox in the ear of opponents, letting them know that he was always there.
One of Porter's most famous moments came before Super Bowl XL against the Seattle Seahawks, when tight end Jerramy Stevens essentially guaranteed his team would win. Porter was having none of it, saying that the comments woke him up and he got his “first taste of blood.”
Porter Jr, who has a master's degree in trash talk after growing up with his father, recently chirped about his matchup with Baltimore Ravens star Odell Beckham Jr after he intercepted a pass intended for Beckham, saying “I strapped his old a**.”
Like father, like son, indeed.
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