'Nothing like motivation:' Joey Porter Sr. gives Joey Porter Jr. pep talk after first-round slide
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Motivation is not something that is in short supply in the Porter family.
As the storylines began to emerge when the Steelers took Joey Porter Jr., son of Steelers' legend Joey Porter, with the 32nd overall pick, and first pick of the second round, what most didn't see until days later, was the disappointment.
No, not by Steeler Nation, getting a guy like JPJ in the second round was as close to grand larceny that Steelers' GM Omar Khan could get - so much so following the draft that he's earned the nickname "Khan Artist."
The disappointment was with JPJ.
Expecting to go in the first round, so much so that speculation was that the Steelers could've taken him as high as 17, or they would miss out on him because he was going even higher.
But as night one, round one ended with the 31st overall pick, the cornerback out of Penn State did not have his name called.
With a microphone on, he hugged his dad and the 13-year NFL veteran gave him some words of inspiration.
"There's nothing like motivation, right?" J-Peezey said to his son. "They want to see a p---ed off football player? Now they got one."
Visibly upset by not getting taken in the first round, his father made sure he knew that it wasn't the end of his football journey. Not by a long shot.
"I know how these drafts go," Senior told him. "But what I'm telling you is, now you've been motivated to another level because we've got something to prove. And take it personal...as you should."
He wouldn't have to wait long and just hours later, Junior's phone buzzed and when he saw the area code, he knew he was coming home.
"I'm coming home," JPJ smiled. "I knew the area code, 412, and I was like 'ain't nobody else calling me at this time' so I was like, this is that phone call, so I was excited."
"You already know what you're getting, you're getting a p---ed off guy," Senior told the Steelers over the phone.
With Steelers' Rookie Camp on the horizon, the journey begins for the son of one of the meanest, and most hard-hitting Steelers in franchise history.
Just like his father, JPJ will have no shortage of fire to keep the lights on.
