Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman will soon have a scan to see if he needs offseason surgery to fix a fracture in his spine that he suffered before the 2024 season.
Pittman played 16 games this season, despite his injury.
Pittman first thought something was wrong during training camp in August, but the fracture was not found until after the Colts’ Week 3 victory over the Chicago Bears. The 27-year-old originally expected to be placed on injured reserve. However, Indy’s training staff and medical team approved him to play with the injury, provided he could tolerate the discomfort.
“We were doing [a scan] every four weeks, but then I just got to a point I’m like, ‘I don’t really care what the scan says, I’m going to play either way,'” said Pittman.
Pittman finished the season with 69 receptions for 808 yards and three touchdowns. His numbers were lower than in prior years, which was to be expected given that he was playing with a fractured back.
Pittman stated that it was vital to him to push through the agony and be there for his teammates.
“That’s just what you have to do for the guys, because this isn’t a fair-weather sport,” he informed me. “Guys like Quenton Nelson, Jonathan Taylor, and DeForest Buckner deserve my best, even if I don’t feel like it.
“Also, playing in this league is a privilege, and I don’t take any game lightly. I’m out there because it’s such a privilege, and I take every game seriously; football is my life. I’d do anything to play each and every game.”
Pittman, a second-team All-American at USC, was picked by Indianapolis in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He agreed to a three-year contract deal with the Colts in March.
