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First Call: Asante Samuel Sr. critical of Joey Porter Jr.’s contract strategy; ex-Steelers WR retires

TribLIVE.com · Tim Benz · 2026-08-25T13:40:04+00:00 · nguồn gốc

Tuesday’s “First Call” throws another log on the fire when it comes to the Joey Porter Jr. conversation. An ex-Steeler wide receiver is calling it quits. A Steelers Audio Network host says the team should move on from Roman Wilson. And Paul Skenes makes his San Diego debut for the Pirates. Did it ‘need to be said’? Asante Samuel Sr. has some critical words for his son’s teammate with the Steelers, Joey Porter Jr. Samuel’s son, Asante Jr., is in the same defensive backfield with Porter. Right now, though, Porter isn’t practicing with the Steelers. According to coach Mike McCarthy, Porter is “at an impasse” with the franchise over a contract extension. On his “Say What Needs to be Said” podcast, Samuel’s father stated that Porter isn’t going about things in the smartest way possible. “I don’t think he’s handling the situation the best way, not going to practice,” Samuel Sr. said. “You’ve got to know when to read the room and who you’re dealing with.” Technically, Porter Jr. went on the PUP list with a back injury last month. He hasn’t practiced in any team drills since training camp began. “These people seem like they really get offended over there in Pittsburgh,” Samuel Sr. continued. “They really are in tune to what’s going on, their players, who their players are and paying their players. They do things a certain way; they don’t like to break bread.” Related: • Tim Benz: Penguins Hall of Fame induction for Marc-Andre Fleury should lay foundation for Matt Murray• Tim Benz: Joey Porter Jr.’s contract issues, Jalen Ramsey quotes shine light on Steelers’ DB concerns • Madden Monday: An area of concern about Aaron Rodgers we ‘don’t talk enough about’ Well, the Steelers have handed out plenty of “bread” this offseason. Keeanu Benton, Chris Boswell, Darnell Washington and Nick Herbig all got significant raises. It’s only Porter who remains unsigned from that batch of targeted extensions the team wanted to get done before Week 1. The Steelers usually don’t negotiate with players once the season begins. Game 1 against Atlanta is Sept. 13. Rome wasn’t built in a day Former scout and current Steelers Audio Network host Matt Williamson had a bold take about Steelers receiver Roman Wilson. He thinks the Steelers should move on from the former third-round pick. It might be time to cut Roman Wilson and explore the trade market for a WR — Matt Williamson (@WilliamsonNFL) August 24, 2026 Wilson apparently didn’t run a very sharp route on Will Howard’s first interception and may not have been on point during the second one either. Williamson said he would’ve been interested in Kayshon Boutte as a replacement. But he was traded from New England to Houston. It’s also Williamson’s opinion that the Steelers were ill-advised to select a return specialist in the fourth round with Kaden Wetjen instead of a true receiver during April’s NFL Draft. Robinson retires Allen Robinson II announced his retirement Monday. The former Steelers wide receiver logged 11 years in the NFL. The 33-year-old Penn State alum didn’t play in the NFL during the 2025 NFL campaign. Robinson was originally selected by Jacksonville in the second round of the 2014 draft. Along with the Jaguars and Steelers, Robinson also spent time with the Bears, Rams, Lions and Giants. A 1,400-yard season with 14 touchdowns earned Robinson a Pro Bowl nomination in 2015 with the Jags. He can also boast a pair of 1,000-yard seasons in Chicago. Robinson ended his career with 565 catches for 7,058 yards and 43 touchdowns. During his 2023 stop in Pittsburgh, the former Nittany Lion had 34 catches for 280 yards. Paul vs. Padres Paul Skenes (9-11, 3.95 ERA) is scheduled to pitch for the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday in San Diego. Skenes only finished 4 1/3 innings after allowing three earned runs against Detroit in his last outing. The 2026 All-Star hasn’t completed six innings since July 19. This will be Skenes’ first time pitching in Petco Park. The reigning Cy Young winner has just one start against the franchise, claiming a 7-1 victory earlier this season. He yielded just one earned run in 6 1/3 innings pitched, striking out six along the way. That was Skenes’ third start of the year, back on April 7. Skenes attended El Toro High School in Lake Forest, Calif., about 79 miles away from Petco Park. Skenes will be opposed by Michael King, who is 8-9 with an ERA of 3.38. His 149 innings pitched rank seventh in the National League. The right-hander beat the Pirates with six innings of two-run ball on April 8 at PNC Park.