One of the more surprising moves of the NFL free agency “legal tampering” period thus far wasn’t a signing, but rather a trade: the Indianapolis Colts sent wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers after signing wide receiver Alec Pierce to a $114 million deal.
Now, Pat McAfee and the rest of the NFL world are reacting to the massive news.
Colts Send Michael Pittman Jr. to the Steelers in a Stunning Trade
While the Colts did get Pierce back in, part of the impact of that included dealing Pittman Jr., and the Steelers, who will now have Pittman Jr. and D.K. Metcalf, are the ones to land him.
As Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman mentioned, the Colts simply couldn’t afford to pay both. In acquiring Pittman Jr., ESPN’s Brooke Pryor says that adding the former Colts receiver addresses the “No. 1 item on their offseason wishlist,” referring to the Steelers.
Last season, Pittman Jr. caught 80 passes on 111 targets for 784 yards and seven touchdowns. His seven touchdowns were a season-high, breaking his previous high of six, which he set in 2021-22. Not only that, but Pittman Jr. finished the season with a PFSN WR Impact score of 74.4, which ranked 50th in the NFL.
Earlier this offseason, PFSN’s Jordan Woodson examined some potential additions to replace Pittman Jr. due to his uncertain future with the team, and he mentioned that the Colts were connected to an incoming Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver.
As for money, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo is reporting the Steelers will pay him $59 million over three years.
The #Steelers are giving WR Michael Pittman Jr. a new three-year, $59 million deal, source says. New team and new money for Pittman in a contract negotiated by Andrew Kessler at @AthletesFirst. pic.twitter.com/I7nlzWJnfg
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 9, 2026
Someone else who reacted strongly to the news was former Colts punter Pat McAfee on his show, “The Pat McAfee Show.” As soon as he realized the news, let’s just say he immediately shouted a few expletives.
After that, though, he mentioned he knew the team would likely lose him due to his upcoming cap hit, but otherwise, he had a lot of kind words for the former second-round pick.
The #Steelers are giving WR Michael Pittman Jr. a new three-year, $59 million deal, source says. New team and new money for Pittman in a contract negotiated by Andrew Kessler at @AthletesFirst. pic.twitter.com/I7nlzWJnfg
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 9, 2026
Also, Fox Sports NFL columnist/reporter Ralph Vacchiano adds that adding Pittman Jr. will “help clear some space” for Metcalf and is a great second option for quarterback Aaron Rodgers should he return for the 2026-27 season.
Aaron Rodgers … or, you know, whomever … gets a terrific No. 2 receiver to help clear some space for DK Metcalf. https://t.co/1r5K0sASIX
— Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) March 9, 2026
Something else worth noting about this deal is that the New York Jets, who, according to Connor Hughes of “SNY,” “continue to monitor opportunities to strike” via trade, didn’t go after Pittman Jr. While this is a massive trade, the NFL free-agent frenzy continues.
