Michael Pittman Jr.’s first few weeks in Pittsburgh have done little to ease any doubts about the Colts’ old wideout.
The Steelers stepped in this offseason and took on part of Pittman’s contract after Indianapolis was expected to move on from the $29 million salary. Four games into the year, that decision already looks shaky. Pittman has not been able to get much going, and the early returns have been rough enough that Pittsburgh may end up regretting the trade.
A foot injury has not helped, and neither has Aaron Rodgers, who has not exactly been elevating anyone around him. But the deeper issue is one that has followed Pittman for a while now: he is not creating separation.
That was part of the story last season in Indianapolis, when he averaged just 9.8 yards per catch, and it has carried over in Pittsburgh. This year, he is averaging only 7.4 yards per target, and Rodgers has posted a quarterback rating of 46.9 when throwing his way.
The numbers in Pittsburgh tell the same story. Pittman has missed one game because of the lingering foot issue, and in the three games he has played, he has totaled seven catches on 12 targets for 89 yards. Three of those receptions have moved the chains for first downs, which is not the kind of production a team wants from an outside receiver.
Even at 29, Pittman looks like a player who has lost more than a step. He was never a burner, and now the lack of explosion shows up even more clearly.
Week 5 offers a matchup that could be tough to improve on. Pittsburgh hosts the Colts on Sunday, and Pittman could get a chance to show Indianapolis that it should have simply paid him more than his football value was worth and kept him.
That outcome feels unlikely, though. He was limited in practice on Wednesday because of the foot, and the bigger challenge may be the coverage waiting for him.
Rodgers will be looking his way against what should be an extra-motivated Sauce Gardner and an in-form Charvarius Ward. One of them will be assigned to Pittman, while the other deals with DK Metcalf.
Gardner is coming off a Week 4 outing he called "embarrassed" after allowing more than 100 receiving yards against a third-string quarterback for the Washington Commanders. He said that on Wednesday, and it would be a surprise if he turned in anything close to that kind of performance again on Sunday.
Even if he did, Pittman does not look like the receiver who put up two 1,000-yard seasons for Indianapolis. He appears to be a slower, slightly banged-up version of that player, and that does not point toward a breakout against Ward and Gardner.
In Other News...
Colts Owner Addresses Growing Spotlight Over Sideline Involvement
Carlie Irsay-Gordon has found herself under a brighter spotlight lately as the Colts work through a 2-2 start to the 2026 season, with the principal owner drawing attention for the way she conducts herself on the sideline during games. She addressed the criticism directly, saying she listens and asks questions as a way to better understand what is happening on the field, a hands-on approach that has become more noticeable as her role has evolved.
Irsay-Gordon also acknowledged that her responsibilities changed after the death of former owner Jim Irsay, and she suggested she may be more mindful of how she presents herself going forward. For a franchise trying to steady itself early in the season, the topic has become part football conversation and part bigger-picture reflection on how the Colts are led. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Get Unexpected Matt Goncalves Relief Amid Defensive Injury Fallout
Matt Goncalves got an unexpected bit of relief this week when the NFL rescinded the fine it had levied for an objectionable celebration. The Colts right guard had initially been docked $8,847, but a joint NFL and NFLPA statement clarified that celebrations imitating drinking a beverage are not violations, wiping out similar fines for other players as well.
The bigger roster concern for Indianapolis, though, is on the other side of the ball. The Colts added veteran defensive end Carl Lawson after an injury to Arden Key, and the injury list kept growing with several players not practicing ahead of the next game. It leaves the team juggling both a corrected league ruling and a defense that is suddenly a little thinner than it was a few days ago. [Read more 🡒]
Carlie Irsay-Gordon Sideline Scrutiny Says Plenty About Colts Pressure
Carlie Irsay-Gordon has spent much of her first year as the Colts principal owner trying to get closer to the football side of the building, learning the details of the operation and the coaching approach from the inside out. That kind of hands-on presence naturally draws attention on the sideline, especially for a franchise trying to steady itself after a difficult start to the 2025 season.
Jemele Hill recently pushed back on the criticism, arguing that Irsay-Gordon deserves credit for making the effort to understand how the organization works. So far, she has shown patience with the current leadership, keeping both the general manager and head coach in place while expressing belief that the Colts can still turn things around. The scrutiny around her sideline habits says as much about the pressure on the franchise as it does about the owner herself. [Read more 🡒]