Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. has been dealing with a debilitating back issue for weeks.
However, Pittman’s injury has gotten the best of him this week, and he will miss the game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
The Colts’ top wideout will miss his first game of the season as the team (4-5) attempts to level its record.
“He’s been battling like crazy,” said coach Shane Steichen. “We are taking this thing week by week. As I previously stated, [he is] one of the toughest individuals I’ve ever known.”
Pittman considered going on injured reserve last month as his back problem worsened. Pittman stated that he ultimately decided against going on IR because he believed he could still contribute to the club despite his decreased state.
Pittman admitted earlier this week that dealing with the injuries has been difficult.
“Some days are really good, and some days you wake up and you’re like, ‘Oh, here it goes,'” he told me.
Pittman’s departure is expected to push rookie Adonai Mitchell into a larger role for the first time in weeks. Mitchell has an average of 16.4 snaps per game, but he played only five in Sunday night’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
“He’s improving, so I’m looking forward to him [playing] this week,” Steichen said of Mitchell.
