Bitter former Steelers CB’s shot at Joey Porter Jr. was uncalled for and blatantly false

While it is a general understanding that the NFL (or any professional sports organization) is a business first and foremost, it can reach a personal level for players, fans, and teams, as exemplified by veteran cornerback Steven Nelson.

Nelson has spent the past two seasons with the Houston Texans but still holds a grudge toward the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he played from 2019-20. 

The former Steeler recently started a podcast titled The Corner Suite Podcast, where he opened up about how his tenure in Pittsburgh unfolded and what ultimately led to his departure.

Heading into the final year of his contract with the Steelers, Nelson says head coach Mike Tomlin contacted him and said the team was exploring the possibility of trading the defensive back due to his large cap hit. 

Former Steelers CB Steven Nelson takes shot at Joey Porter Jr.

That didn’t sit well with Nelson, which led to him saying the Steelers “haven’t found a corner yet,” taking an unwarranted shot at talented young cornerback Joey Porter Jr., which couldn’t be further from the truth.

The Steelers selected Porter with the No. 32 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and he looked every bit the part of a starting cornerback, matching up against some of the best wide receivers in football, going toe-to-toe with them en route to finishing as one of PFF’s highest-graded rookie cornerbacks and earning 2023 All-Rookie Team honors.

Moreover, Porter has the counting stats to support his accolades as a rookie. Last season, he recorded 43 combined tackles, 10 pass deflections, and an interception while appearing in all 17 regular season games for the Steelers.

Entering the new league year as an unrestricted free agent, Nelson has every right to feel bitter and resent the Steelers for how things played out, but that doesn’t mean he needs to rope Porter into the mix.