Joey Porter Jr. Says His Absence Is About His Foot, Not His Contract, as He Fights to Face the 49ers

Joey Porter Jr. wants to set the record straight before the Cowboys host San Francisco on Sunday. The cornerback Dallas traded for this fall says the games he has missed have nothing to do with his contract and everything to do with a foot that has not let him play the way he wants to, according to OutKick and Newsweek.

Speculation had been building that Porter, who is in the final year of his rookie contract, was protecting his value ahead of free agency. He shot that down this week. "I don't even know where that narrative come from," Porter said, per OutKick. Newsweek, citing ESPN's Todd Archer, reported that Porter called the situation frustrating and insisted his absence was purely about the injury. "It's definitely frustrating," he said.

Porter's time in Dallas has been a fight with his own body almost from the start. The Cowboys acquired him from Pittsburgh on Oct. 1 for a 2027 sixth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick, Newsweek reported. His debut against Houston on Oct. 4 was cut short by an ankle injury, OutKick reported, and he also missed time with an illness during the Tampa Bay week.

The team's own reporting shows how much he has tried to play through it. Porter logged a season-high 77.3 percent of the defensive snaps against Philadelphia on Oct. 26, the Cowboys' website noted, but he was limited against Arizona on Nov. 1 and appeared to be in pain. He did not finish that game and was inactive for last Sunday's win over Indianapolis.

Coach Brian Schottenheimer explained after the Colts game that Porter is dealing with a foot and ankle problem that also involves his heel, according to the team's daily updates. OutKick also reported the heel discomfort. Porter did not practice Wednesday or Thursday this week, and he told reporters his entire foot is in rough shape, though he still hopes to play Sunday, the Cowboys reported.

What does he need to get back on the field? Porter put it simply to OutKick: he needs to be able to run and cut.

It is easy to see why the rumor mill started spinning. Porter is 26, and OutKick reported he is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season. He was a second-round pick by the Steelers in 2023, played 47 games over three seasons in Pittsburgh and finished fifth in the 2023 Defensive Rookie of the Year voting, according to Newsweek. In four games with Dallas, he has eight tackles and three passes defended.

In today's NFL, a player in a contract year who sits out invites suspicion. But the facts reported so far point one way. The ankle injury dates back to his very first game with the team, his coach has described a lingering foot, ankle and heel problem, and he has sat out practice this week while still saying he wants to play Sunday.

My take: give the young man the benefit of the doubt. He has played hurt for a team he just joined, he took the snaps when Dallas needed him against Philadelphia, and he is publicly saying he wants back on the field. That is not the profile of a player sitting on his contract. Character shows up in how a man handles frustration, and Porter is handling this one by talking straight and working to get healthy.

Dallas needs every healthy defender it can find. The Cowboys came from behind to beat the Colts on Sunday, the team reported, and OutKick reported that Dallas entered the week second in the NFC East, a game behind the Giants in the win column.

The injury list goes beyond Porter. Receiver George Pickens was limited with a hamstring issue, while linebacker DeMarvion Overshown was a full participant Thursday and is in line to return against the 49ers, the Cowboys reported. P.J. Locke was dealing with a concussion after the Colts game, and Schottenheimer offered a reminder of what matters most when he spoke about him. "Got him covered in prayers," the coach said.

Friday's practice report will be the next clue. If Porter can run and cut without pain, Dallas gets back a starting corner for one of the biggest games of its season. If he cannot, the Cowboys will have to lean on their depth against San Francisco.

Either way, Porter has made his position clear. He is not holding out. He is trying to heal.