# Joey Porter Jr. rejects Steelers extension

> The star cornerback turned down a $27 million deal, leaving his future with Pittsburgh uncertain.
- Title: Joey Porter Jr. rejects Steelers extension · CBS Sports
- Summary: The star cornerback turned down a $27 million deal, leaving his future with Pittsburgh uncertain. Joey Porter Jr. rejected a lucrative contract extension…
- Keywords: joey porter jr, pittsburgh steelers, nfl, cornerback, contract extension, contract negotiation, rookie contract, nfl salaries, sports, Joey, Porter, rejects
- Source: CBS Sports — https://cbssports.com/nfl/news/joey-porter-contract-steelers-cornerback-rejected-contract-extension
- Published: 2026-09-21T20:58:47+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: joey porter jr, pittsburgh steelers, nfl, cornerback, contract extension, contract negotiation, rookie contract, nfl salaries, sports
## Porter rejects $27M extension
The Steelers cornerback turned down a contract extension worth slightly over $27 million for the 2026 season, making him the seventh-highest-paid corner in the NFL by average annual value.
## Where he ranked among peers
The deal would have positioned Porter just ahead of Carolina's Jaycee Horn ($25M annually) and just below Houston's Derek Stingley Jr. ($30M), among other elite cornerbacks.
## Playing out rookie contract
Porter, 26, is in the final year of his rookie deal after failing to reach a long-term agreement with Pittsburgh this summer. The Steelers won't negotiate contracts during the regular season.
## Back injury status unclear
Porter was inactive for the Steelers' first two games with a back injury. The team cleared him for Week 3 against the Bengals, though whether he plays is his decision.

> The source told me they have nothing but respect for Porter and his family but it is still a long-standing tradition that the organization does not negotiate during the season.
## Elite coverage numbers last year
Porter led the NFL in passer rating against as a primary defender with a 49.1 rating last season. No other cornerback allowed a sub-50 passer rating against.
## Steelers not shopping him
Despite the contract standoff, Pittsburgh is not actively trying to trade Porter and has not received any trade inquiries from other teams.
## Key takeaway

Joey Porter Jr. rejected a lucrative contract extension from the Steelers and will play the 2026 season on his rookie deal unless traded.