Dallas Cowboys cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is adamant he's missed time solely because of a foot injury, insisting his absence has nothing to do with his contract situation.
"I don't even know where that narrative come from," Porter said, according to ESPN's Todd Archer. "I get it. It's the internet, but I really don't pay no attention to that or really care for that. My goal is to win games and play football, and that's what I want to do. So if there's any chance I could get on the field, I'm going to get on the field and do what I do best."
The Cowboys traded a 2027 sixth-round pick and a 2028 second-round selection to the Pittsburgh Steelers for Porter in October. He missed one game due to illness and did not play in last Sunday's win over the Indianapolis Colts due to an ankle injury that head coach Brian Schottenheimer says also involves a heel issue.
"The whole foot's jacked up," Porter said. "I was playing on it for a while, and it just kept getting worse to where I had to shut it down. I feel like all the guys are wanting me to get back. They know what I could do when I'm out there on the field. I bring a presence out there that is a game-changing type presence. I'm just trying to get back out there as fast as possible."
He said the situation has been "frustrating. ... I want to show these guys what I can do."
The Steelers traded Porter, who is slated to be a free agent next offseason, after the two sides couldn't agree on a long-term deal. The 26-year-old did not suit up for Pittsburgh prior to the trade this season. The team listed him on the injury report with descriptions including "non-injury related/conditioning" and "back."
