PITTSBURGH -- Joey Porter will respect the NFL rule that might as well bear his name.
The latest 2016 rule book adjustments expressly prohibit assistant coaches from entering the field of play, which Porter did during a heated moment in January's AFC wild-card game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
When asked Thursday about the league's tweak, the Pittsburgh Steelers' outside linebackers coach said matter-of-factly, "a rule's a rule."
"Doesn't really bother me," Porter said following the Steelers' last organized team activities session. "That's a rule they have in place, that's a rule we will play by."
The rule reinforces that only head coaches are allowed on the field during games, and that is solely for the purpose of monitoring injured players.
Porter wandered onto the field after star receiver Antonio Brown took a vicious hit from Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict with 18 seconds left in the wild-card game. Porter started jawing with cornerback Adam Jones, who shoved Porter. Jones earned a 15-yard penalty for the act, facilitating a game-winning field goal for Pittsburgh, which won 18-16.
Brown was concussed on the play and missed the divisional-round loss to Denver.
The league fined Porter $10,000 for his role in the confrontation.
This week, Porter wasn't exactly eager to reflect on the moment.
"I didn't learn nothing from that experience," Porter said. "That was last year. We didn't make it to the Super Bowl. That doesn't really matter to me."