The Indianapolis Colts started the season 7-1. They were the best team in the NFL, Daniel Jones and Jonathan Taylor looked like MVP candidates, and they added All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner at the trade deadline.
They would have never expected to be sitting at 8-7 and eliminated from playoff contention before their Week 17 game kicked off. Now, in Week 17, Michael Pittman Jr. headed to the locker room with an apparent injury.
What Happened to Michael Pittman Jr.?
Pittman left the game in the first half with an apparent calf injury. He was seen jogging into the locker room, accompanied by trainers, to be examined further.
Pittman had one catch for three yards when he left the game, and is now questionable to return.
Status alert: Michael Pittman Jr. (calf) questionable to return Sunday.
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) December 28, 2025
The Colts are trying to play spoiler to their divisional foe, the Jacksonville Jaguars, after the Texans’ victory eliminated Indianapolis from playoff contention. They are playing well so far with a 10-7 lead over Jacksonville.
It looks a little like the beginning of the season, except Philip Rivers is their quarterback now. Gardner is back on the field from injury, and Taylor punched in a touchdown.
Pittman is the 42nd-ranked receiver in PFSN’s WR Impact metric with an impact score of 75.9. The Colts do have the weapons to survive without Pittman. Josh Downs and Tyler Warren will pick up the extra catches that Pittman will leave empty.
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Since the Colts are eliminated, it might not be worth risking Pittman’s return over a potential long-term problem. Calf injuries are serious and need to be managed, or they could turn into potential Achilles injuries.
The Colts will have a lot to figure out in the offseason. They are without a clear plan at quarterback and don’t have their first-round picks for the next two seasons. They’ll need to get to the drawing board and figure out how they can retool this team to get into contention.
The Colts have nothing to play for because of their elimination, and a loss wouldn’t help them as they are without their picks. Houston fans will be rooting for Indianapolis to take down the Jaguars to give them a chance at winning the AFC South. The Colts are doing their job so far and could have to do it without Pittman.
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.
