Steelers Now
BALTIMORE — Isaiah Likely achieved two steps. Had the Baltimore Ravens tight end gotten one more, the outcome of his team’s matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday might’ve been different.
Instead, Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. didn’t give up on the play, draping himself over Likely’s back and jarring a would-be 13-yard touchdown reception out of his clutches in the end zone. Three plays later, Mike Tomlin’s team forced a turnover on downs on their own 8-yard line, ending the late-fourth-quarter threat.
The Steelers ended up winning the pivotal AFC North clash 27-22.
“Keep fighting for the ball to come out. It was really up to the refs to decide if that was a touchdown or not,” Porter said afterward. “I was just happy they picked ‘no touchdown.'”
#Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. gives his vantage point of his crucial pass breakup on what would’ve been a back-breaking touchdown grab by the Ravens’ Isaiah Likely. #HereWeGo pic.twitter.com/jVAGWbBxWy
— Brendan Howe (@bybrendanhowe) December 7, 2025
NFL Vice President of Instant Replay Mark Butterworth explained the reasoning behind the verdict.
“The ruling on the field was a touchdown. We quickly looked at the play,” Butterworth said in a pool report. “The receiver controlled the ball in the air, had his right foot down, then his left foot down. The control is the first aspect of the catch. The second aspect is two feet or a body part in bounds, which he did have. Then the third step is an act common to the game and before he could get the third foot down, the ball was ripped out.
“Therefore, it was an incomplete pass.”
Steelers head coach was asked if he thought Likely had a touchdown.
“I did not,” Tomlin said. “But I know, sometimes, in an effort to get it right, they’ll signal it a touchdown and get it the benefit of the review. But, no, I didn’t think it was a touchdown.”
It was, however, a good example of playing through the whistle.
“Just appreciative of the effort,” Tomlin said. “That’s just kinda indicative of how the game needs to be played, and it’ll be a good example of that.”
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Joey Porter Jr. Breaks Down Controversial Pass Breakup vs. Ravens
