Former Steelers have increasingly aired their grievances publicly, and on Wednesday the criticism escalated again — this time with ex-linebacker Joey Porter defending Mike Tomlin while sharply attacking Ben Roethlisberger.
Porter, who served as a defensive assistant on Tomlin’s staff from 2015–2018 (though he never played under Tomlin), appeared on current Steeler Cam Heyward’s “Not Just Football” podcast. Porter pointedly challenged former teammate James Harrison’s recent remarks about Tomlin, arguing Harrison profited under Tomlin’s leadership and listing Harrison’s All-Pro honors, a Defensive Player of the Year award and a Super Bowl ring as evidence of that. Porter said it made no sense to dismiss the coach who oversaw much of Harrison’s success.
His strongest barbs were aimed at Roethlisberger. Without naming him directly, Porter referred to Roethlisberger as “Seven” and accused him of fracturing the team’s unity, saying Roethlisberger “destroyed the Brotherhood.” Porter also criticized Roethlisberger for publicly suggesting “this might be time for a clean house” during the season shortly before Tomlin stepped down for the postseason.
Porter alleged Roethlisberger refused to sign a teammate’s family when he was a rookie and suggested that by the time Porter returned to the organization as a coach, Roethlisberger wielded enough influence that others were effectively silenced. Porter concluded that the locker-room dynamic had already been set by that point.
Porter’s comments add another chapter to ongoing fallout among former Steelers, and they’re unlikely to be the final public word in the dispute.
Fan Take: This matters because locker-room culture and player-coach relationships shape team performance and public perception; when high-profile alumni air grievances, it forces fans and the league to reckon with organizational issues beyond on-field results. If such disputes become routine, the NFL could see increased scrutiny of leadership, player accountability and how franchises manage internal divisions.
