'He's got a serial killer's mentality' – Steelers HC Mike Tomlin unbothered by Joey Porter Jr.'s struggles
"I rather have to woe em, than sic em." It's a mantra that Pittsburgh Steelers HC Mike Tomlin has when it comes to the demeanor of his players, but especially his defenders. And while second-year star Joey Porter Jr. has no issue with a competitive spirit, his recent play has cost Pittsburgh heavily in terms […]
"I rather have to woe em, than sic em."
It's a mantra that Pittsburgh Steelers HC Mike Tomlin has when it comes to the demeanor of his players, but especially his defenders.
And while second-year star Joey Porter Jr. has no issue with a competitive spirit, his recent play has cost Pittsburgh heavily in terms of penalties.
Coach Tomlin isn't worried about that either:
Joey Porter Jr. has 'Serial Killer Mentality'
"Man, he's got a serial killer's mentality, but if you're going to be a top-flight corner, you better," said Coach Tomlin when asked why he wasn't worried about Porter's recent struggles. "And that's probably one of the things that I knew about him [because] of my personal relationship that really made me comfortable drafting him. It's not fake. It's real. He's not running from the fight. He's running to the fight. You better have a short memory at that position. [He's] Always had it. He was probably like that when I met him and he had it then."
A strong statement that created some pause and laughter in the media room, Coach Tomin was asked to elaborate on his analogy for Porter Jr.'s mentality:
"He's a competitor. He's running to it, said Tomlin when asked to explain serial killer mentality. He's ill-affected by the outcome of plays. His confidence is unflappable, and all of that is needed."
"I'm mad at it," Porter said when asked about the penalties against the Cincinnati Bengals via video from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's YouTube channel. "I'm trying to be great at the end of the day and those flags kind of get in the way. But like Coach [Tomlin] always says, if he's not tripping and my team's not mad about it, then I just gotta keep playing and doing my job. I feel like at this point they're trying to alter my play, but I'm not really worried about that…
"…Some of those calls, I feel like I'm not doing nothing the average [db isn't] doing. I got that target on my back and clearly, I just gotta keep working."
Whether JPJ has a target on his back or not is up for debate, but it's clear that this has become a pattern for the talented young defender. Coming out of Penn State it was his physicality at the line of scrimmage (along with his football pedigree) that made Porter intriguing to not only the Steelers but many NFL teams.
But to quote HC Mike Tomlin, "there's a fine line between drinking wine and squashing grapes," and in 2024 especially, Porter Jr.'s physicality is blurring that line.
