The Steelers selected Porter with the 32nd pick of the 2023 draft (the first pick of the second round that year), and by the end of his rookie year, they trusted him to shadow the opponent’s top threat in a man-heavy scheme under former head coach Mike Tomlin. Progress has been steady, but not always linear. In 2024, Porter was the NFL’s most-penalized defensive player, according to NFL Penalties, flagged 17 times (three were declined, two were offsetting and 12 were accepted). He improved his technique last year and trusted it, cutting the infractions nearly in half (nine flags, with six accepted).
By the end of the 2025 season, Porter was playing like one of the NFL’s top corners. He hasn’t allowed a touchdown in coverage since Week 8 of the 2023 season, according to Pro Football Focus, a span of more than 1,000 snaps in coverage. That’s by far the longest active streak in the league. As the primary coverage defender, he also allowed just a 55.9 passer rating, the third-lowest among qualified cornerbacks, according to PFF.
The Steelers’ wild-card playoff game in January presented Porter with a chance to make a closing argument for a contract extension. Matched up against Nico Collins, Porter limited the Texans’ standout receiver to three catches for 21 yards before Collins left the game late in the third quarter with a head injury.