Buckle up.
That was the message from the newest Dallas Cowboys cornerback, Joey Porter Jr., in the aftermath of his trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Porter was officially on the move during the early morning hours on Oct. 1, ending a long contract dispute with the team that drafted him.
And Porter quickly shared a message on his Instagram story for his new fans in Dallas:
New #Cowboys CB Joey Porter Jr weighs in: pic.twitter.com/jQ8n31zxWy
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 1, 2026
"Here I come Dallas," Porter posted with a blue heart emoji.
He also included a "seat belt" meme with the term's definition being, "the opposing receiver is locked up."
A popular celebration for defensive backs across the sport, Porter appears to be giving a look into what he, and Cowboys fans, should expect
from the cornerback.
The Cowboys were in desperate need for some defensive help as the team continues to rebuild the unit one year after trading away Micah Parsons. Injuries in the secondary have only complicated matters, but now Dallas can install Porter on the back end of the defense.
Porter was available thanks to an ongoing contract dispute that had lingered since the offseason. The 26-year-old hasn't played this season after failing to come to an agreement on a contract extension. The Steelers acquired a second-round pick and a sixth-round pick in exchange for the player they selected in the second round during the 2023 NFL Draft.
Of course, the timing of the move is interesting.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was asked about the team's interest in Porter during an appearance with "Shan and RJ" on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Sept. 29.
At the time, Jones said that there were "conversations going on," but stopped short of naming Porter specifically in an effort to avoid tampering.
That came on the heels of Jones' Week 2 comments after defeating the Washington Commanders.
"There is nothing more dangerous than an old man with money," Jones said.
He later clarified that it was about his willingness to spend to improve the team. It's worth noting that willingness to spend doesn't include a contract extension for Porter at the moment. The cornerback didn't receive a payday from his new team, although there is a chance that could come down the road.
However, everyone seems to walk away with something to be happy about – at least for the time being.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Joey Porter Jr. posts new definition of "seat belt" in response to Cowboys trade
