A young cornerback stands at the edge of a season, his body telling one story while the outside world tells another. Joey Porter Jr., who arrived in Dallas by trade and is due to reach free agency when the year ends, has been absent for much of the past two weeks, and whispers have tied that absence to money rather than to the foot he says is still aching. He insists he is simply trying to play, to run and cut and guard the fastest players on the field, and to be back among teammates who want him there. Whether the body and the will align in time for Sunday's game against San Francisco will be
Joey Porter Jr. Says Cowboys Absence Is Injury-Related, Not About His Contract
The whole foot's jacked up, and it kept getting worse until he shut it down
Mark
Why did a contract story attach itself to what looks like an injury?
Mimi
He's 26 and headed for free agency after the season, and he missed most of two weeks. Those two facts together invite the guess.
Luke
But a guess is all it was. Porter called the narrative noise, and the reporting doesn't show anyone claiming otherwise on the record.
Mark
Does the injury timeline hold up?
Mimi
It does on the surface. Ankle trouble in the Oct. 4 debut against Houston, aggravation against Arizona, then inactive at Indianapolis.
Luke
Careful, though. The source says an apparent ankle injury, so the original diagnosis comes from what was visible, not a team announcement we've seen.
Mark
And the foot?
Mimi
Porter says the whole foot is jacked up, and Schottenheimer confirmed heel discomfort. That widens the injury beyond the ankle.
Luke
Right, but the coach only confirmed the heel. The broader description is Porter's own, and no medical detail or timetable is given.
Mark
So is he playing Sunday?
Mimi
Possibly. He didn't practice Thursday, but Friday could bring more work.
Luke
Possibly is the honest word. Nobody has said he's questionable or cleared, and that's still unknown.
El Pulso
- Cowboys cornerback Joey Porter Jr. missed another practice, working with resistance bands while the team searched for his footing.
- Contract chatter about his free agency after the season has spread faster than the facts of his health.
- An ankle injury that cut short his Dallas debut, an early exit against Arizona, and a benching in Indianapolis have left him in and out of the lineup.
- Coach Brian Schottenheimer has flagged heel discomfort, and Porter says his whole foot is hurting and getting worse.
- Friday's practice is the decisive test, with Porter aiming to return for the 49ers game as the NFC East race tightens.
A young cornerback stands at the edge of a season, his body telling one story while the outside world tells another. Joey Porter Jr., who arrived in Dallas by trade and is due to reach free agency when the year ends, has been absent for much of the past two weeks, and whispers have tied that absence to money rather than to the foot he says is still aching. He insists he is simply trying to play, to run and cut and guard the fastest players on the field, and to be back among teammates who want him there. Whether the body and the will align in time for Sunday's game against San Francisco will be settled quietly on the practice field this week.
On Thursday, Joey Porter Jr. sat out another practice for the Dallas Cowboys. It was the second straight day he was not a full participant, and he was seen working with resistance bands during part of the session. For a cornerback who has played in only four games since Dallas acquired him in a late-September trade, the season has so far felt like a search for footing.
Some people had decided his absence was about his contract rather than his body. Porter is 26 and heads toward free agency after the season, and he waved the talk away. He said he did not know where it started, that it came from the internet, and that he pays it no mind. His focus, he said, is winning games and playing football.
The health timeline tells a plainer story. His Cowboys debut against Houston on Oct. 4 ended early with an apparent ankle injury, and he left the next week against Arizona after aggravating it. He was then inactive in Indianapolis, and earlier an illness had kept him out against Tampa Bay.
Porter says the trouble runs beyond the ankle. Schottenheimer has noted heel discomfort, and Porter describes the whole foot as "jacked up," something he played through until it grew too painful to continue. What he needs is simple to name: the ability to run, cut, skip and jump, since his job is to shadow the most athletic players on the field. He says his teammates know what he can do and want him back, and that he is working to return as fast as he safely can.
Friday's practice is the next checkpoint. Dallas hosts San Francisco in Week 10, with the Cowboys second in the NFC East and one game behind the Giants. Whether Porter suits up will depend on how the foot responds, and that answer is likely to come from the practice field before anyone else hears it.
On Thursday, Joey Porter Jr. did not practice with the Dallas Cowboys. It was the second straight day he was not a full participant, and he was seen working with resistance bands during at least part of the session. For a cornerback who has played in only four games since Dallas acquired him in a late-September trade, the picture looked like a player still searching for his footing.
The absence had also invited another explanation. Porter has missed most of the past two weeks, and some speculation tied it to his contract rather than his health. He is 26 and set to become a free agent after the season. Porter rejected that idea directly. He said he did not know where the narrative came from, acknowledged that it was the internet, and said he pays no attention to it. His goal, he said, is to win games and play football, and if there is any chance to get on the field, he will take it.
The timeline of his health supports an injury story. Porter's Cowboys debut against the Houston Texans on Oct. 4 was cut short by an apparent ankle injury. The next week against the Arizona Cardinals he left early after appearing to aggravate it. He was then inactive when Dallas went to Indianapolis to face the Colts. Separately, he had been sidelined by an illness when the Cowboys played the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 5.
Porter also described the problem as broader than an ankle. Coach Brian Schottenheimer said the starting defensive back has experienced discomfort in his heel as well. Porter put it more bluntly: the whole foot is "jacked up." He said he played on it for a while, but it kept getting worse until he had to shut it down.
He was specific about what the injury takes from him. He described the test as being able to run and cut, noting that he plays a position where he must guard the most athletic people on the field. If he cannot run, skip or jump, he said, he is no use out there. He added that he feels his teammates want him back, that they know what he can do, and that he brings a game-changing presence. He said he is trying to return as quickly as possible.
The next step is Friday's practice, where Porter could do more work as he tries to get ready for Sunday. Dallas hosts the San Francisco 49ers in Week 10. The stakes are real for the Cowboys, who entered the week in second place in the NFC East, one game behind the New York Giants in the win column. The Giants open Week 10 on Thursday night against the Washington Commanders.
Whether Porter plays Sunday will depend on how his foot responds in practice. Friday's participation is the clearest signal to watch.
Citas Notables
I don't even know where that narrative come from... My goal is to win games and play football.— Joey Porter Jr.
The whole foot's jacked up.— Joey Porter Jr.
Quieres la nota completa?
Lee el original en Fox News ↗