Former Steelers teammate Joey Porter says team protected Ben Roethlisberger, but QB wasn't 'a good person'
Former Steelers outside linebacker Joey Porter is speaking out in defense of Mike Tomlin, taking aim at two former teammates who have been outspoken about Tomlin since his decision to step down as Pittsburgh's leader. While he never played under Tomlin, Porter is going to bat for the coach, despite the criticism from fellow former Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison and former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
Harrison has been vocal in his criticism of Tomlin, even suggesting he isn't a Hall of Fame-caliber coach. Roethlisberger, while not as extreme, also made headlines when he suggested late in the 2025 season that Tomlin should become Penn State's new coach. Roethlisberger has since acknowledged on his podcast that it was probably time for a change regarding the Steelers' coaching post.
Porter, who also served on Pittsburgh's coaching staff from 2015-18, was diplomatic in his comments about Harrison, but things got personal when he discussed Roethlisberger, his teammate from 2004-06. Porter believes Roethlisberger's actions and behavior were detrimental to the team.
Porter shared a story about Roethlisberger's lack of professionalism, mentioning that he didn't sign autographs for teammates' family members during his rookie season. This incident led Porter to have a meeting with Roethlisberger, who specifically declined to sign something for defensive end Aaron Smith. Porter expressed his frustration, saying, 'Who the hell is too cool to sign for your teammate?'
Porter also highlighted Roethlisberger's suspension in 2010 for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy, as multiple women accused him of misconduct in 2008 and 2010. Roethlisberger himself acknowledged his mistakes, saying, 'I lost track of who Ben Roethlisberger was. It's not something I'm proud of.'
Despite his issues, Roethlisberger did develop close relationships with some teammates, including Jerome Bettis and Heath Miller, during his early years in Pittsburgh. In later years, he formed a strong bond with center Maurkice Pouncey, who was inducted into the Steelers Hall of Honor alongside Roethlisberger and Porter.
However, Roethlisberger faced criticism from departing teammates Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown in 2019, who questioned his leadership and the time he spent with them outside the facility. Roethlisberger responded by hosting team events and pulling the plug on his local radio show, which often led to public criticisms of teammates.
Porter believes that Roethlisberger and Harrison are not in a position to speak negatively about Tomlin, who did a lot for their careers. Porter expressed his frustration, saying, 'What makes it crazy for me to watch them two talk like that and really act like we don't have the real receipts of how this really works.'
Despite the controversy, Porter stands by his assessment of Roethlisberger, concluding that the quarterback was not a good person and teammate.
