Joey Porter Joseph Eugene Porter ( born March 22 , 1977 ) is a former American football linebacker who played for thirteen seasons in the National Football League ( NFL ) . After playing college football for Colorado State , he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft . A four - time Pro Bowl selection , Porter earned a Super Bowl ring with the Steelers in Super Bowl XL . He played for the Miami Dolphins from 2007 to 2009 and the Arizona Cardinals from 2010 to 2011 . Early years . Porter ' s prep career took place at Foothill High School in Bakersfield , California . He was a two - time All - Conference selection as wide receiver and running back for the Trojans . His senior season , he led the team to a 9 – 2 mark and a berth in the sectional playoffs , rushing the ball 86 times for 1 , 086 yards . After his final season at Foothill , he was named to the All - Section and All - State teams . He lettered twice in football , plus twice in basketball . He also played soccer as a youth . In current years , Joey Porter is known locally for supporting Bakersfield ' s local High Schools and their Athletes in Football and Basketball . Porter continuosuly returns to his hometown to run and hold youth football camp . College career . After his time at Foothill , Porter was a standout on the football field for the Colorado State Rams . He began his college career as an H - Back and did not see his first action on the defensive line until his junior year . He was a third - team All - America and All - Western Athletic Conference first - team selection by The Sports Network . He registered 22 career sacks . As a senior , he recorded 53 tackles ( 36 solos ) with eight quarterback pressures and 12 tackles for losses of 67 yards . He finished third in NCAA Division I - A with a school single - season record - tying 15 sacks for minus 63 yards . Majored in Exercise and Sport Science . Professional career . Pittsburgh Steelers . Porter was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round ( 73 overall ) of the 1999 NFL Draft . During the preseason , Porter wore number 95 , the first Steelers to wear the number since Steelers linebacker great Greg Lloyd was released following the 1997 season . However , despite his similarities to Lloyd in terms of playing style and vocal leadership ( or perhaps because of it ) , Porter changed his jersey number to 55 just before the start of the regular season in order to develop his own identity . He also took 55 in honor of his childhood hero , Junior Seau . He finished the preseason as the team ' s leading tackler , compiling 22 total tackles , including 18 solo stops . He also registered a team - high four sacks and forced a fumble . He went on to excel on special teams during the regular season , with his time on defense increasing as the year went on . His first career sack came on Cleveland Browns quarterback Tim Couch on September 12 , when he also forced a fumble on the play . He partially deflected a punt against the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 2 . In the season finale against the Tennessee Titans , Porter accumulated six tackles and a sack . He also forced and recovered a Neil O ' Donnell fumble and returned it 46 yards for a score . In 2000 , Porter finished second behind Jason Gildon and set a career high with 10 . 5 sacks on the year . He and Gildon also tied a franchise record with 24 sacks as a duo . On the year , he registered 74 tackle ( 51 solo ) , one interception , three passes defensed , two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery . He was voted the AFC Defensive Player of the Month in October . Against the Cincinnati Bengals on October 15 , he registered eight tackles ( seven solo ) , three sacks including one for a safety , four quarterback hurries and a forced fumble . He had five tackles and two sacks in a game against the Baltimore Ravens two games later . Porter ' s first career interception came against the Tennessee Titans on November 5 on a pass from Steve McNair . His second career touchdown came on a 32 - yard fumble recovery against the Philadelphia Eagles on November 12 . He closed out the season with 1 . 5 sacks against the San Diego Chargers on December 24 . During the September 17th game against the rival Cleveland Browns in Cleveland , Porter tackled punter Chris Gardocki while Gardocki was trying to punt the ball . While Porter would be penalized for roughing the punter , Gardocki briefly laid motionless , then subsequently flipped the middle finger twice to Steelers head coach Bill Cowher . The incident , caught on live television , resulted in a $ 5 , 000 fine for Gardocki . The two would later be teammates with the Steelers from 2004 - 2006 . Porter had a career day against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 21 , 2001 , recording six tackles , four sacks and a pass deflected while earning AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors . Two weeks later he registered four tackles and two sacks against the Baltimore Ravens . He missed the season finale against the Cleveland Browns - the first time he failed to play in his NFL career - due to a shoulder injury . Porter finished with 59 tackles and nine sacks on the season . In Week 2 of the 2002 season , Porter had what is likely the best game of his professional career . In a 30 – 17 loss to the Oakland Raiders on September 15 , Porter racked up seven tackles , three sacks , two interceptions and two passes defensed . The performance , during which he returned one interceptions 84 yards , earned him AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors . He recorded five tackles , two sacks and a forced fumble in a 34 - 7 blowout against the Cincinnati Bengals on October 13 . On the year , Porter had nine sacks - the third straight year of eclipsing the mark - while setting career highs in tackles ( 88 ) , interceptions ( 4 ) and interception return yards ( 153 ) . He was selected to his first Pro Bowl following the season . In 2003 , Porter recorded the lowest sack total of his career since his rookie year , while missing two games due to a gunshot wound on August 31 , 2003 outside of a Denver bar , just before the beginning of the season . He recorded a sack and recovered a fumble in his first game back against the Cincinnati Bengals on September 21 . On October 26 against the St . Louis Rams , he had six tackles , a pass defense and two sacks — his only multiple - sack game of the year . In 14 games played , Porter totaled 65 tackles , five sacks , a forced fumble , a fumble recovery and four passes defensed . Porter bounced back in 2004 with the second Pro Bowl selection of his career . In an October 31 win against the New England Patriots , Porter had four tackles , three sacks and two forced fumbles . He was selected the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance . He recorded two sacks against the Washington Redskins on November 28 , and had his lone interception of the season on December 26 on a pass from Baltimore Ravens quarterback Kyle Boller . He finished the year with 53 tackles , seven sacks and an interception . On November 14 against the Browns in Cleveland , Porter and Browns running back William Green were both ejected prior to kickoff due to a pregame fight . Porter ' s backup , James Harrison ( who would ultimately replace Porter in the starting lineup after Porter left Pittsburgh ) , would get his first NFL start in place of Porter . Porter had one of his best years in 2005 as his team went on to beat the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL . Porter was named to the third Pro Bowl of his career and the second in two years . On the year , he tied a career high with 10 . 5 sacks while adding 56 tackles , two interceptions and four forced fumbles . He recorded a sack in four of the team ' s first five games of the season . In a 41 - 0 blowout win over the Cleveland Browns on December 24 , Porter had five tackles , three sacks and a forced fumble . In what would be his final year as a member of the Steelers , Porter had what many would consider a down year . He recorded 7 sacks on the year , but six of them came in three games against the mediocre offensive lines of the Miami Dolphins , Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the other half sack came against the Cleveland Browns . In the season opener against the Miami Dolphins , he intercepted a Daunte Culpepper pass in the fourth quarter and returned it for his first interception touchdown to seal a victory . He missed two contests in October while nursing a hamstring injury . Porter finished the year with 55 tackles and 7 sacks . Miami Dolphins . With the Steelers in transition under new head coach Mike Tomlin , the team released Porter on March 1 , 2007 in lieu of paying him a $ 1 million roster bonus . He received immediate interest from a handful of teams , including Pittsburgh ' s three division rivals — the Cincinnati Bengals , Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens . The Dallas Cowboys , New York Giants and San Diego Chargers were also in the mix , but it came down to the Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins . After Dolphins head coach Cam Cameron and general manager Randy Mueller flew to Porter ' s home in owner Wayne Huizenga ' s jet , Porter was persuaded to sign with the Dolphins . Porter was officially signed by the Dolphins on March 8 , 2007 . He received a five - year deal worth approximately $ 32 million . The deal includes a $ 12 million signing bonus and $ 8 million in guaranteed money . He immediately clinched the starting strong side linebacker , playing opposite Jason Taylor — the 2006 Defensive Player of the Year . Porter struggled during the 2007 season , amassing only 5 . 5 sacks , his lowest total since 2003 . The 2008 - 2009 season saw a rejuvenated Porter return to his old indomitable form , leading the AFC and finishing second in the NFL with a career - high 17 . 5 sacks ; thus , Porter played an integral role in metamorphosing the 1 - 15 Dolphins of 2007 - 2008 into a 11 - 5 AFC East champion football team . Porter has since been rewarded for his strong play and award - worthy revival by earning his fourth Pro Bowl and was named 2nd Team All - Pro . Porter started for the Dolphins at outside linebacker in 2009 and was named a team captain . In a poll of 296 NFL players , Porter tied Washington ' s Albert Haynesworth as the second dirtiest defensive player in the league . During week 9 , Porter took heat from the press after calling out the New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and leaving the game after recording zero tackles and avoiding the press . The next week , Porter was suspended for one game by Dolphins coach Tony Sparano for undisclosed reasons . He was released on March 5 , 2010 . Arizona Cardinals . On March 19 , 2010 , Joey Porter signed a three - year , $ 24 . 5 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals , with $ 17 . 5 million in guaranteed money . In his first season with the Cardinals , he put up 50 tackles and five sacks . In 2011 , he only played six games due to injury , recording 16 tackles and one sack . On March 28 , 2010 , Porter was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving and assault on a California Highway Patrol officer . It was later announced that all charges were dropped . Retirement . On July 19 , 2012 , Porter announced he would retire from the NFL . Porter had talked to Steelers owner Art Rooney and GM Kevin Colbert about signing a one day contract so that he could " have the honor " of retiring as a Pittsburgh Steeler . On August 3 , 2012 , Porter was officially retired as a Pittsburgh Steeler during the evening festivities of the Steelers Training Camp at St . Vincent College in Latrobe , PA . On December 24 , 2012 , Porter was freed from jail after three days for writing a bad check . He paid $ 70 , 000 to cover the check to the Hard Rock Casino for " casino markers " given to him in June and July , 2012 .