Porter was fined $10,000 for an altercation with Bengals defensive back Adam “Pacman” Jones after Porter went onto the field to check on an injured Antonio Brown following Vontaze Burfict’s hit during Pittsburgh’s 18-16 AFC Wild Card win against Cincinnati in Jan. 2016.
1 / 23
Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game
Fans fill the streets outside of Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons game on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
1 / 23
Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game
Fans fill the streets outside of Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons game on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
2 / 23
Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game
Fans fill the streets outside of Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons game on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
3 / 23
Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game
Fans fill the streets outside of Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons game on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
4 / 23
Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game
Fans fill the streets outside of Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons game on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
5 / 23
Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game
Fans fill the streets outside of Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons game on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
6 / 23
Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game
Fans begin to fill the seats before the NFL International Week 9 game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
7 / 23
Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game
Fans begin to fill the seats before the NFL International Week 9 game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
8 / 23
Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game
Fans begin to fill the seats before the NFL International Week 9 game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
9 / 23
Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Shemar Stewart (94) walks the field before the first quarter of the NFL International Week 9 game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
10 / 23
Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas (80) walks onto the field before the first quarter of the NFL International Week 9 game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
11 / 23
Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game
Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence (97) high fives fans as he walks to the field before the first quarter of the NFL International Week 9 game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
12 / 23
Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game
Cincinnati Bengals broadcaster Dan Hoard enters the stadium before the first quarter of the NFL International Week 9 game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
13 / 23
Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game
Cincinnati Bengals fans take their seats before the first quarter of the NFL International Week 9 game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
14 / 23
Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game
Cincinnati Bengals radio helmets are prepared before the first quarter of the NFL International Week 9 game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
15 / 23
Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) warms up before the first quarter of the NFL International Week 9 game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
16 / 23
Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game
Fans begin to fill the seats before the NFL International Week 9 game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
17 / 23
Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game
The Cincinnati Bengals warm up before the first quarter of the NFL International Week 9 game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
18 / 23
Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game
Ohio Congressman Greg Landsman stops for a photo on the field before the first quarter of the NFL International Week 9 game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
19 / 23
Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game
Fans cheer for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’marr Chase (1) during warmups before the first quarter of the NFL International Week 9 game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
20 / 23
Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game
Fans begin to fill the seats before the NFL International Week 9 game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
21 / 23
Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game
Fans begin to fill the seats before the NFL International Week 9 game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
22 / 23
Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game
Fans begin to fill the seats before the NFL International Week 9 game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
23 / 23
Bengals vs. Falcons: See our best Photos from NFL Madrid Game
Fans begin to fill the seats before the NFL International Week 9 game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker coach Joey Porter, middle standing, comes on the field after wide receiver Antonio Brown (84) was hit by Bengals outside linebacker Vontaze Burfict during the last 22 seconds of the game January 9, 2016.
“I deputized him,” Tomlin said on Heyward’s podcast. “We had a nasty relationship with that group. And so I called him in my office before that game on game day. I said if it goes berserk, I’m coming on the field. I want you to come with me. I want you to control our guys. When they hit (Brown) and he was asleep, Pouncey and those guys were at the brink. And so I went on the field.”
Advertisement
“I signaled to him, come on,” Tomlin continued. “He went out there as a peacemaker under my direction. And he gets out there and he’s operating as peacemaker, but they are pissed that he is on the field. Different people got different talents. And I knew if it got crazy, he was the man for the job.”
When Porter was featured in the second episode of “Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North,” he said he refuses to eat in Cincinnati, Baltimore or Cleveland because of how NFL fans in those cities feel about him.
NBC Sports analyst Devin McCourty said he’s eager to see the reception Sunday night for Tomlin at Paycor Stadium.
“Former Steeler Ke’Shawn Williams muffs a punt,” Tomlin said on the broadcast during the highlight. “He forgets that he’s not playing for them. Another error by their punt return team, giving the Steelers another shot. … All is well in western PA.”
When Tomlin spoke in Pittsburgh Sept. 25 for the Steelers’ Hall of Honor ceremony, he said he wished “he could be here Sunday for this butt-kicking that we gonna put on the Cincinnati Bengals.”
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was asked whether it would be weird to be in a production meeting with Tomlin as NBC Sports analyst.
“I’ve always loved how he sees the game and attacks coaching,” Burrow told reporters. “He’s always attacked it with an intensity that I had a lot of respect for, and so to be able to get to know him in a setting like that, I think, would be a little exciting for me.”
Advertisement
Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ announcement in May that he’ll retire after the 2026 NFL season means the Bengals may be facing the future Pro Football Hall of Famer for the final time, on NBC’s Sunday Night Football.
