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Oct 27, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen reacts on a call as they play against the Houston Texans in the second half at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Will $70 Million Veteran Have a Bounce-Back Season with the Indianapolis Colts?

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports
By Mike Roberts | Last updated Sep 7, 2025 11:15 AM ET

Michael Pittman Jr. is primed to have a bounce-back season. The Indianapolis Colts’ wide receiver struggled last year as he dealt with a back fracture. He demonstrated toughness, though, by playing through the injury and still recording over 800 receiving yards.

The Colts had a disappointing 2024 campaign, finishing with an 8-9 record. They also missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year. If Indy wants to reach the postseason in 2025, they’ll need an 100 percent healthy Michael Pittman Jr.

Will Michael Pittman Jr. Have a Bounce-Back Season with the Indianapolis Colts?

His Career Thus Far

Michael Pittman Jr. played college football with the USC Trojans. As a senior, he caught 101 passes for 1,275 yards and 11 touchdowns. He earned consensus second-team All-American honors that year.

The Colts then drafted Pittman in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. During his rookie year, he had seven receptions for 101 yards in a Thursday night win over the Tennessee Titans. He became the first Colts’ rookie to have 100 receiving yards in a game since Donte Moncrief did so in 2014.

2023 was the best season of Pittman’s career. He caught 109 passes for 1,152 yards that year. For his efforts, the Colts rewarded him with a $70 million contract. However, Pittman’s numbers dropped last season due to the aforementioned back injury. He had only 69 receptions, 808 yards, and three touchdowns.

Daniel Jones Could Help Out

It seems like Pittman has played with a million different quarterbacks since joining the league. He has teamed up with eight starting QBs: Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, Sam Ehlinger, Nick Foles, Anthony Richardson, Gardner Minshew, and Joe Flacco. That’s quite a long list in just five years. Yet, that hasn’t distracted him from becoming a solid receiver when healthy.

Daniel Jones will be quarterback No. 9. The former Duke star signed with the Colts this offseason and beat out Richardson for the starting role. It will be interesting to see how he’ll perform in his debut season in Indy.

Jalon Dixon of Sports Illustrated wrote about Jones being built for a receiver like Pittman:

“Jones doesn’t sling deep balls down the sideline like Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen or stretch the field like Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes. What he does well is hit short-to-intermediate throws with accuracy. In 2024, Jones posted a 63.3 percent completion rate, excelling in true completion percentage (71.1 percent) and intermediate accuracy. That is precisely where Pittman thrives. His average depth of target last year (10.9 yards) lines up perfectly with Jones’s comfort zone: throws between the numbers, quick timing routes, and security-blanket targets. Pittman has the frame (6-foot-4, 223 pounds) and catch radius to give Jones an outlet when the pocket collapses, which should increase both his target volume and his efficiency.”

No, Jones isn’t an elite quarterback by any stretch of the imagination. He’s not going to carry a team to a Super Bowl victory. But like Dixon noted, his intermediate accuracy fits Pittman perfectly. That will give Pittman a great chance to bounce back this season and be the team’s go-to receiver. Don’t be surprised to see him have a 90+ catch, 1,000+ yard season.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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