​Former All-Pro cornerback Darius Slay had a short stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After signing with the organization in March 2025, Slay was released on December 2 following a defeat to the Buffalo Bills. He was subsequently claimed off waivers by the Bills, but he refused to join the team, making it clear that his intention was to play only for the Philadelphia Eagles. Slay officially retired this offseason and recently appeared on ESPN to discuss the NFL’s top cornerbacks. During the interview, he was asked about Joey Porter Jr., and he pointed out what he sees as a flaw in the young cornerback’s game.
“He’s very good in press, gets his hands on the ball, very disruptive at the line of scrimmage,” Slay said, via Chris Ward of Steelers Now. “The only thing I think he has wrong with him is ball production. He just doesn’t have a lot of interceptions right now, but they’re coming. I’ve been there with him in Pittsburgh. His hands are very sus.”
These remarks prompted a response from former Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor, who shared his thoughts on X. “Glad I wasn’t in the era for biting [the] bait [and talking] about the same side of the ball teammate,” Taylor wrote. Slay replied, calling Taylor “sensitive as hell,” which led Taylor to say he’s very sensitive when it comes to the Steelers.
Regarding Porter, he has three career interceptions, picking off one pass in every season of his career. The 2025 season stands as the best of his career, as he allowed only 32 catches on 64 targets and did not give up a single touchdown all season, according to Next Gen Stats.
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