Cowboys' Joey Porter Jr. pushes back on talk that his absence is contract related

Every game Joey Porter Jr. sits out for the Dallas Cowboys in 2026 is going to draw attention, and the cornerback knows it. Dallas acquired him in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers while the pending free agent was in contract extension talks, so his time on the sideline has naturally fueled speculation. Speaking after practice on Thursday, Porter made it plain that his absences are about his health and nothing else.

"That has no, I don't even know where that narrative comes from. I get it, it's the internet. I don't really pay attention to that. I don't really care for that," Porter said. "My goal is to win games and play football. That's what I want to do. If there's any chance I can get on the field, I'm going to get on the field and do what I do best."

Porter arrived in Dallas with elite credentials. He led the NFL in passer rating against as the primary defender in coverage in 2025, allowing a 49.1 passer rating among 128 players with at least 60 pass attempts thrown their way, per TruMedia. But since joining the Cowboys, he has played in only four of a possible six games. He missed what would have been his AT&T Stadium debut in Week 5 on Thursday Night Football against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he also sat out Week 9 at the Indianapolis Colts.

The Cowboys' official injury report lists Porter with an ankle injury, but he described the problem as more extensive. He said he tweaked the foot in his Dallas debut at the Houston Texans in Week 4, and his determination to keep playing for his new team only aggravated it. "It's all of the above. The whole foot is jacked up. I was playing on it for a while, and it kept getting worse to where I had to shut it down," he said, adding that he knows exactly what is wrong and is doing everything possible to get back to normal.

Asked what he needs to show before returning, Porter was direct: "Just need to be able to run, to cut. I play a position where I have to guard the most athletic people on the field. So if I can't run, skip or jump, then I'm no use out there." He did not participate in practice on Wednesday or Thursday, working off to the side with Cowboys director of rehab Britt Brown instead.

Friday shapes up as the decisive test for whether Porter can return in Week 10 against the San Francisco 49ers, who at 7-1 hold the NFC's top seed. "It really just depends on tomorrow and how I feel moving around. If they see and trust how I'm moving around is good enough to play on Sunday," he said. "I did some running today, that was pretty good. I feel confident with that. First time in a little while."

The frustration of being sidelined has clearly worn on him. When Dallas pulled him from the game in the second half of Week 8 against the Arizona Cardinals, Porter slammed his helmet. "It got to the point to where it felt like I was a liability out there. I never want to be that for my team," he said, calling it a hard conversation for a competitive person who always wants to be available for his teammates.

Even with the missed time, Porter's production when healthy has been strong. Among 289 players with at least 10 passes thrown their way this season, he leads the league in completion percentage allowed at 25% and pass yards per attempt allowed at 1.6, while ranking 12th in passer rating against as the primary defender in coverage. As for the idea that he might be protecting his value ahead of free agency, Porter dismissed it, saying he played at 70% health because of his confidence in himself. "I really don't care too much about the stats. I feel like my tape is going to speak for itself," he said. "Still trying to keep the main thing the main thing and get back out there as fast as possible."