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Pittsburgh Steelers OLB coach Joey Porter's greatest hits

Joey Porter is the Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebackers coach and former Pittsburgh Steelers player. Let's take a look back at the best of Joey Porter.

By Dani Bostick
Ron Schwane-USA TODAY Sports

Long before Joey Porter received attention for his on-field antics against the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday, he was the Steelers 1999 third-round draft pick out of Colorado State University. He was with the Steelers until 2006, after which time he played with both the Miami Dolphins and the Arizona Cardinals. Now back with the Steelers as an outside linebackers coach, he continues to have an impact on the team.

Let's take a look at some of Joey Porter's most interesting NFL moments.

1) Joey Porter was shot in Denver. Don't forget it! 

The last day of August in 2003, Joey Porter was minding his business outside of a bar, according to police reports, and was shot in the butt. Another person was killed during the incident.

Check out Joey Porter all fired up (and Jerome Bettis, who seems tranquil compared to Porter)

This clip is from after the Steelers 2006 postseason victory over Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. In addition to a phenomenal locker room outburst, he also came up with several huge plays on the field.

2) Porter showed Browns RB William Green who was boss... and got ejected before the game even started.

November 14, 2004, Joey Porter had some business to settle before the Steelers game against the Cleveland Browns. The fight was so animated that both players got ejected before the game started. A 2004 ESPN report described the melee:

"As the teams were going through pregame drills, Porter and Green got into a heated verbal exchange in front of the Brown's bench. Seconds later, they were throwing overhand rights, uppercuts and roundhouse lefts before being separated."

Jerome Bettis' comment on the incident was priceless: "I've never been a boxing referee. It was weird."

3) Joey Porter boards the Ravens bus and tries to fight Ray Lewis

During the first regular season game against the Ravens in September 2003, Joey Porter was sidelined, recovering from the gunshot wound he suffered in Denver a few days prior. Porter felt disrespected by Ray Lewis, who borrowed Porter's post-big-play celebration move in front of Porter. "I thought he kind of disrespected me," Porter said at the time via the Post-Gazette.

"He came out here, he's doing the boot and telling me this at his house. I think that's negative. You don't come and disrespect a man who's hurt... Why are you imitating me. That let me know he doesn't care. There were a few times he was in trouble with the law, his shoulder was hurt, and I went over there and shook his hand and said, 'Get through it.' Yet, he wants to make fun of me being hurt. I take that like a slap in the face. You never kick a man when he's down."

Porter vowed he would remember the incident, also adding that he would have had more tackles than Lewis during the game if he had just knocked down the water boy.

The dispute continued after the game when Porter boarded the Ravens bus to confront Ray Lewis, urging him to come off of the bus and settle the argument with their fists.

4) Porter goes after Bengals left tackle Levi Jones in a casino

Porter's bad blood with the Bengals predates Saturday's move. On March 19, 2007, Porter saw a former rival, Bengals left tackle Levi Jones, in a Las Vegas casino.

Porter decided to.. well.. the video really speaks for itself.

5) Oh... and Joey Porter played decent football.

Check out some vintage Joey Porter from his time at Colorado State University.

Here are some NFL highlights.

6) Joey Porter is a celebration machine

Joey Porter was involved in the epic excessive celebration when William Gay intercepted the Bengals and returned it for a touchdown in the Steelers second match up against the Bengals.


7) His mere presence on the field generates a Bengals penalty for 15 yards

Some football fans asked on Saturday, "What was Porter doing on the field?" Antonio Brown was down with an injury, but Porter really didn't belong there. What was he doing on the field? His mere presence and energy infuriated Adam Jones enough for Jones to lose his cool and receive a 15 yard penalty that put the Steelers in scoring position.

Check him out, smug and calm, agitating the heck out of the Bengals.

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