Steelers Week 2 Injury Report: Joey Porter Jr. & Nick Herbig News
Another week of practice in the books means the Pittsburgh Steelers are one step closer to game day. As Sunday’s contest against the Seattle Seahawks approaches, there’s more information regarding who will and will not suit up.
Two popular Pittsburgh injury situations being monitored pertain to cornerback Joey Porter Jr. and linebacker Nick Herbig. Friday’s practice and media availability brought more of the same buzz.
It’s a classic good news, bad news scenario for the Steelers.
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Steelers Provide Joey Porter Jr.’s Week 2 Status
Porter is out this weekend, per the official team injury report.
The third-year man played 44 defensive snaps in the Steelers’ season opener against the New York Jets but left early with a hamstring injury. He didn’t practice all week, leading to the speculation about his availability for Week 2.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, head coach Mike Tomlin briefly addressed Porter’s situation.
“Joey Porter Jr. wasn’t able to finish the game with a hamstring,” Tomlin said. “Optimistic about his availability, but I’ll let the quality of his work and the amount of his work during the week be our guide there.”
Well, the amount of Porter’s on-field practice work is a sum of zero. Tomlin’s initial optimism didn’t parlay itself into reality.
At the time of his injury, Porter logged a solo tackle and surrendered a reception on both of his targets. The 2023 second-round pick posted an ugly 32.4 Pro Football Focus grade for his efforts, including a 36.0 coverage mark. Almost all of his snaps, as expected, were from a pre-snap alignment on the outside.
With that in mind, Brandin Echols is a favorite to replace any reps missed now that Porter can’t play. The offseason pickup recorded 2 tackles in Week 1, playing 19 combined snaps for the Steelers between defense (10) and special teams (9).
Silver Lining: Nick Herbig’s Return Is Imminent
A piece of tremendous Steelers news is the imminent return of linebacker Nick Herbig. Herbig, who was listed as a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice with a hamstring ailment of his own, advanced to full participation on Thursday and Friday. He carries no game day designation.
Herbig came into Week 1’s game against the Jets as questionable. He wound up missing the opener, meaning Week 2 will be his debut. Tomlin felt good about his progress as of Tuesday.
“Really optimistic and hopeful about Nick Herbig being available for us this week,” Tomlin said. “As is always the case in ball, you step into a stadium, you lose some capable men, but we also are going to get some capable men back. We’ll put together a collective that positions us to be at our best.”
In 13 games last season, Herbig recorded 22 tackles (5 for loss) with 11 quarterback hits, 5.5 sacks and 4 forced fumbles. He’s been itching to get back into the lineup for meaningful games. Speaking to media after Friday’s practice, he doubled down on his positive outlook.
“I feel good,” Herbig said. “I’m ready to go. Yeah, I’m very optimistic about it.”
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Not being on the field to kick off the year was a big mental challenge for him.
“I think the most frustrating thing is just not being able to be there for my brothers, you know?” Herbig said. “It doesn’t matter what it is I’m doing, as long as I’m on the field and I get to have my brothers’ backs out there. We go through war, we go through all this stuff in the offseason. Not being able to be there for them on game day, that’s a sickening feeling.”
Kickoff for Sunday’s game will be here before anyone knows it.
Inside the $52M Deal That Defines a Dynasty
BRANDON HAGEL’S entire career has been a “prove it” moment. From minor hockey to the NHL, every time a coach or team overlooked Hagel, he responded, proved himself, and earned a new opportunity. And despite the fact the Tampa Bay Lightning left winger recently signed an eight-year contract extension worth $52 million, Hagel still sees himself as a player with something to prove.
For Hagel, the feeling began in his under-15 season. After putting up strong numbers with the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers, Hagel was not among the 222 players picked in the WHL’s bantam draft, which that year included future NHLers such as Nolan Patrick, Kailer Yamamoto and Dillon Dube. “It’s everyone’s dream to get drafted,” Hagel said. “You’re so young. It’s the first thing you look forward to that didn’t work out for me. I didn’t really know how to process it then.”
With the WHL looking like less of an option, Hagel turned his eyes to the college route, spending a season playing at the U-18 level before signing with the Alberta Jr. A League’s Whitecourt Wolverines. After only three games with Whitecourt in 2015-16, Hagel caught the eye of the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels, who were set to host the Memorial Cup that season. After a few practices with the team, Hagel signed and went on to have a standout rookie season, putting up 47 points in 72 games.
WHEN I GOT AN OPPORTUNITY,I KNEW I NEEDED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT– Brandon Hagel
Following that campaign, Hagel finally heard his name called in a draft when the Buffalo Sabres took him in the sixth round (159th overall) in 2016.
What was supposed to be a career highlight, however, turned into another prove-it moment for Hagel. “I spent my summers training in Buffalo as they asked,” Hagel said. “Two years later, they didn’t sign me. That was crushing.”
With Buffalo off the table, Hagel re-entered the draft, but he went unselected. At that point, Hagel was again thinking of university puck, but this time looking at going the Canadian route.
Instead of giving up on his pro dream, however, Hagel again answered the adversity, enjoying a hot start in his 20-year-old season in the WHL and earning a contract offer from the Chicago Blackhawks. “It was a big part of my life going through that adversity as a kid and getting to that next level,” Hagel said. “I knew it was never easy. I was never gifted anything. When I got an opportunity, I knew I needed to take advantage of it.”
Hagel scored 41 goals and 102 points in 66 games with the Rebels in 2018-19, again answering his detractors. “It taught me a lesson and put a chip on my shoulder to never take anything for granted and prove a lot of people wrong.”
After multiple seasons impacted by COVID, Hagel persevered until his 25-goal breakout NHL campaign in 2021-22. That year, the Tampa Bay Lightning paid a hefty price to acquire Hagel at the deadline, giving up prospects Boris Katchouk and Taylor Raddysh, plus first-round picks in 2023 and 2024.
After his first full year in Tampa, in which Hagel hit the 30-goal mark for the first time in his career, the Bolts signed Hagel to a long-term deal. The confidence Tampa displayed in both the trade and pact felt unusual but welcomed. “After the (WHL) bantam draft, I never got drafted,” Hagel said. “Proved them wrong. Played four years in the WHL. Never got signed. Proved them wrong. Now, here I am with an eight-year deal. It feels good. It’s one of those things you work for your whole life. You’re doubted your whole life, but then, when someone wants you, trades for you like that, and then offers you an eight-year contract, that means a lot. I want to play for someone who wants me on their team for that long and who has that much faith in me.”
Hagel got off to a strong start this season, his last before that eight-year deal, which carries a $6.5-million cap hit, kicks in.
For many players, this would be a moment of security, a time they could finally let their guard down. Hagel, however, believes it’s just the start. He’s proved he can play in the NHL, but now he’s proving he can still get better and can win as a member of the Lightning. Hagel still feels he has something to prove in the hockey world – both to others and to himself. “When they put that trust in me, I want to give them back 100 percent,” he said. “Knowing you’re part of a core, it helps your confidence and makes you want to win. I want to win a Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay. Now, it’s about what I can do to achieve that. I still see things all the time, people saying I got lucky, or I played with good players. I give my teammates all the credit in the world, but I want to continue to prove I can do this on a consistent basis, year after year, and I want to get better every single year and continue to prove myself.”
