Michael Pittman Jr. made it clear he still holds plenty of respect for Daniel Jones, even after leaving the Indianapolis Colts this offseason.
On a recent episode of The Pat McAfee Show, Pittman had nothing but praise for the Colts quarterback, calling him “a beast” and one of the toughest players he has ever been around. The only catch? That goodwill disappears when Indianapolis lines up against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
"DJ's a beast," Pittman told McAfee. "And he is probably one of the toughest guys I've ever been around, works super hard, and I can't say enough good things about him, but when (the Steelers play the Colts), we're not friends. After that, we're friends again."
That kind of response says plenty about Pittman, but it also reflects the immediate impression Jones made after arriving in Indianapolis last season. Jones played through major pain in 2025, taking the field with a broken fibula he suffered in Week 10 against the Atlanta Falcons and later tearing the Achilles tendon in his other leg in Week 14.
He wasn’t out there for personal glory. He was trying to help the Colts win.
Even though the second half of the season ended badly in football terms, Jones wasn’t the problem. He played well enough to earn a two-year deal worth as much as $88 million.
Keeping Jones and wide receiver Alec Pierce came at a cost for general manager Chris Ballard, and Pittman was the one who got moved. The Colts dealt him to the Steelers along with a seventh-round pick in exchange for a sixth-round selection. Pittman carried a $29 million cap hit in 2026, and Indianapolis decided it couldn’t justify that number based on his recent production.
Still, Pittman’s run in Indianapolis won’t be remembered as a disappointment. He delivered on the field, topping 1,000 receiving yards twice, and he handled himself with the kind of class that made him easy to root for. Colts fans know it, and Pittman likely does too.
Now he’s with Pittsburgh, where Indy supporters will be fine with him piling up numbers most weeks. Just not in Week 5, when the Steelers host the Colts. As Pittman basically put it, that’s the one game where a quiet afternoon would suit everybody just fine.
In Other News...
Bryce Boettcher Is Making The Colts Face A Tough Camp Decision
A rookie linebacker is turning a quiet training camp competition into one of the Colts more interesting decisions. Bryce Boettcher has stood out during offseason work and camp, drawing notice from coaches for the way he plays physically and attacks the job, enough to put himself squarely in the conversation for a starting role.
The challenge for Indianapolis is that the path is not exactly clear-cut. Boettcher is trying to break through against a veteran with more NFL experience and a built-in edge from working with the defensive coordinator, so the Colts are weighing upside against familiarity as camp moves along. Coaches clearly like what Boettcher has shown, but the job is still there to be won. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Just Made Their Bet On Jonathan Taylor Crystal Clear
Jonathan Taylor is now firmly at the center of the Colts offensive plans. Indianapolis has already locked up quarterback Daniel Jones and wide receiver Alec Pierce, and the latest move only reinforces how much the organization is leaning into continuity on that side of the ball. Taylors place in the offense has never been in doubt, but the contract picture makes the commitment impossible to miss.
The extension gives Taylor added security and gives the Colts a clearer path forward with the core they want in place. It also signals just how highly the team values his role among NFL running backs, even in a league that often treats the position differently from year to year. For Indianapolis, this is less about making a splash than about drawing a line around who it wants to build around now and into the next phase. [Read more 🡒]