The Steelers Hall of Honor is the ultimate recognition for those who have made immeasurable contributions to the organization, whether it be on the field, or off the field.

The newest additions to the group were welcomed into the fold when the Hall of Honor Class of 2025 was announced during a ceremony at Saint Vincent College as a part of the Steelers Back Together Weekend celebration.

The Hall of Honor Class of 2025 includes three individuals who were part of Super Bowl seasons for the Steelers, with two of them part of the same championship team.

Linebacker Joey Porter Sr., center Maurkice Pouncey and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger highlight a class that brought plenty of glory to the black and gold.

“It’s special,” said Steelers President Art Rooney II. “Just to welcome a group of guys that mean so much to Steelers football, mean so to our fans. These three guys made a difference for us over the course of their careers. This group is a pretty special group and belong in there with the rest of them.”

Porter was on hand for the announcement at Saint Vincent College, excited to have his name part of such an illustrious group, especially after being at Hall of Honor dinners for former teammates in the past.

“It’s called the Hall of Honor for a reason,” said Porter. “It’s an honor to be in it. To be mentioned with all the guys that played before that are in the Hall of Honor is special. Being in Pittsburgh, you know the tradition of what it means to play for the Steelers.

“So just to be always mentioned amongst the greats, that’s what makes it amazing. It’s an honor.”

Porter said when he got the call telling him the news it meant the world to him, finally having a dream fulfilled.

“I was excited,” said Porter. “I’ve been waiting for the call for a while. I’ve been to a few of these, so it was good to finally get the call. No matter when it came, I was happy to get it, happy to make it. So, it was an exciting time.”

The announcement on Saturday of Porter, Pouncey and Roethlisberger comes on a special day in the life of Porter and his wife, Christy. The day their son, Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr., was born. Porter was at Steelers training camp himself at the time, and left the day before to go home to California to be there when he was born on July 26. He returned that same day, coming back to Saint Vincent College for practice the next day.

“It’s cool because it’s all part of the story,” said Porter. “That was the first year I was going to start, and I had to fly home. I flew home on the 25th. She had him on the 26th and came back on the 26th, the same day as his birthday, the 26th. I went out there the night before. She had the baby, and I came back the same day he was born.

“He always was going be a training camp baby because we had him in training camp. Now that he plays for that same team and is at training camp, it’s full circle because he is at Saint Vincent, the place I had to leave for a day when he was born. It’s all surreal sometimes, but it’s been a blessing.”

The team introduced the Hall of Honor in 2017, an idea that came from Steelers President Art Rooney II, along with late Chairman Dan Rooney. The Hall of Honor was established to recognize former players, coaches, and front office personnel who played an integral role in the success of the franchise, from the beginning in 1933 until now. To be considered, a player must be retired at least three years and played a minimum of three seasons for the Steelers. Former coaches and contributors had to make significant contributions to the team and community.

The Steelers will welcome the 2025 Hall of Honor Class when the team takes on the Miami Dolphins on Monday, Dec. 15, which includes an on-field presentation during the game. The Hall of Honor Dinner will be held on Sun., Dec. 14, when the team officially inducts this year’s Hall of Honor class during a special ceremony at Acrisure Stadium. A limited number of tickets are available for purchase here.

The Hall of Honor display is part of the Steelers Hall of Honor Museum, which is located at Acrisure Stadium. The Steelers Hall of Honor Museum is located near Gate B above the team’s Pro Shop. Fans can visit the Steelers Hall of Honor Museum year-round and tours can be secured by clicking here.

Joey Porter Sr.
Linebacker
1999-2006

He was the heart and soul of the defense during his eight seasons with the Steelers, always bringing energy and tenacity to the field.

Joey Porter Sr. had a passion for football from the moment he arrived in Pittsburgh as a third-round draft pick in 1999.

He brought that to the field every game from his rookie season until his final game with the Steelers in 2006, and beyond when he went on to play for the Miami Dolphins (2007-09) and Arizona Cardinals (2010-11).

But no matter where he ended up, his heart was always in Pittsburgh, coming back to retire with the team.

“It meant everything to play for the Steelers,” said Porter. “I used to watch the Steelers when I was younger. I watched all those guys. Once I got here some of those guys were still in the locker room and that was amazing too. I loved it here.

“That tradition of being a Steeler is something you can’t explain. You realize it when you go somewhere else and play for a different organization. I played for some other organizations that were great, but it’s nothing like Pittsburgh. It’s nothing like coming home. When you come home you realize what you had when you left. I loved every moment when I was here. I loved every minute of wearing that black and gold jersey.

“I knew when I left, I would retire a Steeler. When you say Joey Porter, you think Pittsburgh. I feel like I am a Steeler.”

Porter made three Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl while a member of the Steelers and was named to their all-time team. He added another Pro Bowl berth during his three years with the Dolphins before knee injuries sapped him of his skills over the last two years with Arizona. Porter was named to the NFL’s All-Decade team for the 2000s and finished with 98 career sacks.

Porter spent five seasons on the Steelers coaching staff after his retirement, including four as the team’s outside linebackers coach (2015-18).

The highlight of his career was being a part of the Super Bowl XL Championship team and everything that went along with it.

“The 2005 run we went on to win Super Bowl XL,” said Porter. “That is by far the best memory of my football playing career.

“We were coming off a 15-1 season, lost in the AFC Championship game the year before. We knew we had a strong team. We had some lulls in the season where we weren’t where we wanted to be. We knew we couldn’t lose, or it would be over.

“We hit a stretch where we got hot at the right time. That made everything come together. Everybody relied on everybody to do their job. It came together like it was supposed to.

“It was Jerome’s (Bettis) last year. It made everything worth it once everybody put their hand in the pile, dug deep and realized this is the last time we were going to play with each other. It didn’t matter who we were going to play, we were walking into stadiums with so much confidence because we knew we were going to win. It was surreal at times.”

Porter Fast Facts:
– Played in 122 games (106 starts) over eight-year career with Steelers
– Super Bowl XL Champion
– Three-Time Pro Bowl Selection (2002, 2004-05)
– 2002 All-Pro First Team Selection
– Named to the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team
– Ranked fourth in franchise history in sacks (60.0) when Steelers career ended in 2006