With less than two weeks remaining before the regular season opener, the Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves in a high-stakes standoff with star cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
While contract disputes are standard NFL business, Pittsburgh’s self-imposed organizational policy of halting all contract negotiations once Week 1 begins is creating an unnecessary leverage trap for both sides.
Speaking on “Pro Football Talk,” analysts Mike Florio and Chris Simms sharply criticized Pittsburgh’s refusal to conduct business during the regular season, calling it an outdated policy that severely limits the team's flexibility.
"Look, I respect the Steelers for what they've accomplished. But that stupid a**, ‘we won't do contracts after the season starts.’ Never.
Ever. Ever. Ever. Why are you tying a hand behind your back? You self-handcuff yourself, as someone would say. Why are you doing this?" Florio questioned.
Steelers general manager Omar Khan recently confirmed that the long-standing franchise policy remains firmly intact ahead of the opener. When asked if a deal could get done before the deadline, Khan was explicit.
"Yeah, we won't — first of all, our policy is going to remain in place, but I'm not going to talk about negotiation," Khan stated, while adding, "Joey knows how we feel about him and I still hope Joey, you know, finishes his career here."
The former NFL quarterback Simms agreed with Florio, dismissing the traditional argument that in-season contract talks create locker room distractions.
"It was cool in the 70s," Simms noted. "The players are capable of talking to an agent once every other day, then going, 'Okay, now I have to hang up the phone and go focus on covering the other team's receiver.' It's just stupid. Everybody knows Joey Porter is one of the crown jewels of the franchise."
By drawing a hard line in the sand, Pittsburgh is forcing a ticking clock that leaves zero margin for error before kickoff.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers outdated contract rule is backing Joey Porter Jr. into a wall
