Trib: Do you have a good relationship with coach Bill Cowher? Porter: Me and BC have a relationship people don’t even really understand. Our relationship is a lot deeper than what people understand. I really feel like I can go in there and talk to coach about life, or anything. If I’m getting a vibe on the team about how they’re feeling, ”Coach, the team is feeling this way.” He looks for me to get the insight on how the team is feeling. Me being here for eight years, I cherish that role, I look for that role. I would feel a different way, me being here eight years, playing for the same organization, if I didn’t have that role. If I’m here and they looked up to somebody else as far as that leadership role, I would kind of feel like I had pretty much served my time. I wouldn’t say it’s time to go, but it would be different. So while I’m here I definitely feel like I have to have that role. He’s the guy that brought me in and understood me and let me go out there and play. He knows I’ll never do anything selfish for me on the football field. I’ll do anything to help the team win. At the same time everybody makes mistakes. I’ve made some mistakes out there, I’ve done some things that were wrong and he definitely got on me for it, and I appreciate a man that does everything that he does for me.

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