‘Why Would I Tell a Guy To Fake an Injury?’ — Steelers’ Jalen Ramsey Clears the Air on Rumors Around Advising Cowboys CB Joey Porter Jr.

Joey Porter Jr. had barely settled into life with the Dallas Cowboys when his sudden absence from Thursday night's game brought his departure from Pittsburgh back into the spotlight.

With his contract dispute still fresh in people's minds, some fans began questioning whether there was more to the situation than an illness.

That speculation eventually pulled Jalen Ramsey into the discussion, and the Steelers defensive back was not about to let people decide what he had told his former teammate.

Jalen Ramsey Denies Telling Cowboys' Joey Porter Jr. to Sit Out

Ramsey pushed back against claims that he encouraged Porter to avoid playing or fake an injury to force his way out of Pittsburgh.

In a post on X, he dismissed the accusations and explained why the idea made little sense to him.

"Aye y'all are crazy lol… the Joey narrative has to stop! I ain't tell nobody to not play lol that's just flat out dumb! I still cheat when I play Madden! I want to be teammates with good players! Why would I tell a guy who I think is a top-5 corner to fake an injury (which I don't think he was doing anyways)," Ramsey wrote.

The speculation gained traction because Porter missed the Steelers' first three games while he was in a contract dispute and dealt with a back injury before being traded to Dallas on Sept. 30.

Ramsey had his own contentious departure from Jacksonville in 2019, when a back injury became part of the public discussion surrounding his exit. This history generated suggestions that he might have advised Porter to take a similar approach.

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Ramsey rejected that comparison and defended Porter's conduct before his move to Dallas. He said he did not believe the cornerback was pretending to be injured and pointed to his efforts to remain involved with Pittsburgh.

"The man was in the building tryna get right at 6 am and engaged in every meeting," Ramsey wrote.

Porter's absence against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday added another twist. He had participated fully in Dallas' practices and carried no injury designation after an earlier ankle issue, but the Cowboys ruled him inactive after he became seriously ill.

Reports said he was vomiting after arriving at AT&T Stadium and was sent home by the team's medical staff. On the TNF broadcast, Richard Sherman then insinuated that had the Cowboys given Porter an extension, he would've suited up for the primetime matchup.

Ramsey maintained that his support for Porter should not be mistaken for disloyalty to Pittsburgh.

"Why would I not want a chance to suit up with him this year as a PITTSBURGH STEELER?" he wrote. "Just doesn't make sense. Don't take me being in his corner the wrong way. His business is his business and I'm rocking with him as my dawg… but I'm a Steeler and I want all good players to be a part of this team. I'm tryna win!"

Porter's departure followed a breakdown in extension talks. Pittsburgh reportedly offered an annual salary of $28 million, but the sides disagreed over guaranteed money.

Dallas acquired him in exchange for a 2028 second-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick. The franchise did not give Porter an extension following the trade, leaving him to play out the final season of his rookie contract.

While Porter's absence left Dallas without a cornerback expected to help its secondary, Ramsey made his position clear.

He can support Porter as a friend while remaining committed to Pittsburgh, and he insists that wanting to play alongside talented teammates is a reason why he would never encourage one to leave.