Ex-Steeler Porter speaks fondly of his former team

By John Harris
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, May 26, 2007


Once a Steeler, always a Steeler.

No matter how hard he tries to move beyond the previous eight years of his life, Joey Porter, to some, will always be an ex-Steeler more than he's a Miami Dolphin.

Someone like yours truly, for instance.

When this reporter inquired whether Porter was still sharpening the axe he most certainly has to grind against the Steelers for releasing him two months ago, Porter seemed truly offended by the question.

"I'm not going to do an interview and make it sound like I'm mad at Pittsburgh because that's not even the situation," Porter said last week.
Unlike disgruntled former teammate Alan Faneca, Porter, who received a $12 million signing bonus from Miami, killed the Steelers with kindness.

"Pittsburgh showed me eight good years," he said. "I don't have bitter feelings or nothing like that toward the organization."

Of course, Porter wouldn't be the lightning rod for controversy that Steelers fans grew to love and hate with a passion if he didn't leave them with something to remember him by.

One vintage Joey Porter quote, coming right up.



"They had a decision to make. They can be happy with the decision," said Porter, who wanted to finish his career with the Steelers. "I obviously felt a certain way. I didn't have an opportunity to turn down a deal.

"I'm not mad. Do I feel like it was the right decision? No, I don't. I feel like if you have a chance to take care of one of your own, you should take care of your own. They didn't feel that way."

Asked if he believes his departure influenced Faneca's decision to call out Steelers management regarding his contract, Porter, who has spoken with Faneca, said no.

"It didn't take me to see that. They could have seen that when (Antwaan) Randle El and Chris Hope left," said Porter, referring to a pair of ex-Steelers who signed free-agent contracts elsewhere after the team won Super Bowl XL. "It's part of the business. That's pretty much how it works."

As for a recent interview with a local television station in which he promised to send a message to the Steelers front office during the Steelers-Dolphins Monday Night Football game Nov. 26 at Heinz Field, Porter says he'll let his play do the talking.

"I didn't really have a message," he said. "I'm just going to be fired up to play when I come back to Pittsburgh. That's pretty much it. It's nothing I'm trying to hype up."

Football-wise, little has changed for Porter.

Miami defensive coordinator Dom Capers, a former Steelers assistant coach, has made Porter feel at home.

"Dom Capers has pretty much some of the same schemes I was used to in Pittsburgh," he said. "I'm just trying to get acclimated to Florida and finish out my career there."

Porter will split his time living in Florida during the season and in his native California during the offseason.

"I've moved in my (new) house," he said. "It's the same schedule as when I was living in Pittsburgh. Just a different location where I'm playing football now."


John Harris is a sports writer for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. He can be reached at jharris@tribweb.com