2003: 62 TT, 47 Solo, 15 Assts, 0 SpT, 5.0 Sacks, 4.5 TFL, 0 FF, 2 FR, 0 Int, 2 PD
An off-field injury from a gunshot wound, in which he was an innocent bystander, caused Joey Porter to miss the first two games of the season, with fellow former Colorado Buffalo Clark Haggans ably stepping in. Porter made a near-miraculous recovery to start the remaining 14 games of the season, registering 5 sacks on the season.
2002: 89 Total Tackles - 69 Solo, 20 ASSTs, 9 Sacks, 2 Stuffs. 2 FFs, 4 INTs for 153 YDs & 38.3 AVG, 10 PDs.
Joey was elected to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career. He led the team in sacks, tying fellow OLB Jason Gildon with 9, and made NFL history as the first player to register 8 sacks and 4 interceptions in one season. An outstanding game against Oakland in September saw him as the AFC Defensive Player of the Week, with two interceptions for 114 return yards, 10 solo tackles, and 1 QB pressure. A move to inside on the dime defense was initially successful but a nagging ankle sprain limiting Kendrell Bell's play as the dime rush end and coverage problems in the secondary mitigated its effectiveness as the season progressed. Joey recorded numerous QB hits/pressures over the season and there is much to look forward to from him in 2003.
Joey Porter was the first of two Steeler two third round picks in 1999. He was a defensive end at Colorado State but the Steelers intended him to play outside linebacker in their 3-4 defensive scheme. In his rookie season with the Steelers, Porter was primarily a special teams ace but made his presence felt in limited playing time, including a sack and forced fumble of Titans quarterback Neil O'Donnell, which he recovered and returned 46 yards for a TD. 2000 saw Joey as the starter at ROLB. He finished the season with 10 1/2 sacks (second on the team to Jason Gildon), 74 total tackles (51 solo), 1 INT, 3 passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery. For the 2001 season, he tallied 72 tackles, nine sacks, three forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. The Steelers signed him to a lucrative long-term contract in the spring of 2002. Shortly after, they announced that he would also play the dime MLB position. With his explosive pass rush from the outside, coupled with speed and pass-coverage skills, most expect Porter to have a Pro Bowl caliber season in 2002. At Colorado State, Joey was a third team All-America and a first team All-Western Athletic Conference selection by The Sports Network. His single-season sack total of 15 was third in the NCAA Division 1-A and tied the school's record. He ended his college career with 22 sacks after playing his first two seasons as an H-back. |
