Colts: Michael Pittman Jr. talks Blazin’ Challenge and Carson Wentz’s number
By Adam Weinrib
Like the rest of his Indianapolis Colts teammates, Michael Pittman Jr. is ready to run it back for 2021 with feeling after a year of playoff seasoning.
But before it’s time to get down to business, Pittman’s taking a little time for himself … to eat 10 Carolina Reaper Blazin’ Buffalo Wild Wings as quickly as possible, of course.
You know, typical relaxing.
Pittman spoke with FanSided ahead of Friday’s March Madness tipoff a few hours after completing the challenge of a lifetime — one a weaker man would’ve certainly succumbed to.
“So, you can do the Blazin’ Challenge across 30 bars in Indy. Basically, it’s the fastest time to eat 10 Carolina Reaper wings and the winner gets two tickets to the 2021 Final Four and the Championship,” Pittman told us with enthusiasm. “I actually did it in 3:46, so I might be having myself a pair of tickets pretty soon, if anyone can beat that…”
“I’m not a real spicy food eater, but since it was the challenge, I had to win,” the wideout boasted. “My face was burning, my lips were burning, my eyes were burning before I even started eating ’em.”
Colts wideout Michael Pittman Kr. got some quality time in with Carson Wentz.
Presumably, after Pittman polished off the wings (he’s taking USC and his guy Evan Mobley to win it all, by the way), he got right back to training for the 2021 campaign.
After all, the second-year wideout was spotted about a week ago working out with his new QB Carson Wentz on his own time, and the two have already developed a rapport.
“Anytime you can get field work in with your quarterback…he was just feeling out how I run routes, and I was feeling out how he throws the ball. As we get closer and closer, I feel like we’re gonna have a great camp.”
The two were interconnected before the workouts started, though; Pittman rocked the No. 11 on his Colts jersey last year, which Wentz made famous in Philly.
So, was there a confrontation over the digits? Hardly. The exact opposite. Pittman insists the veteran signal caller could not have been kinder in essentially handing over the keys.
“There was actually no pressure. He didn’t put pressure on me,” Pittman confessed. “It’s funny, because a guy of his caliber probably could’ve just said, ‘I want this number and I’m taking it’. And there’d be nothing that I could do about it, because he’s a big contract guy and I’m a rookie. But he was super chill about it and he just said he was going to change numbers. And I was sitting there like, ‘…You’re really not gonna take the number? Alright, bet!’. It was kind of a joint decision.”
Outside of the man under center, this year’s Colts seem poised to look a lot like last year’s Colts — but Pittman has no qualms with the way the team’s cap space is being used.
“Quenton Nelson and Darius Leonard, those two guys are going to have to get paid,” Pittman said. “They’re two great players. I’m not a GM, I’m not a head coach…but I’m totally in favor of paying those guys. I think they’re great guys and they deserve it.”
“[Leonard], that dude is an animal on the field. He’s an animal off the field, too. He’s probably an animal in church. He’s a different breed.”
Michael Pittman Jr. spoke with us on behalf of Buffalo Wild Wings for its March Madness Blazin’ Challenge competition in Indianapolis.
Participants will have to eat 10 traditional Carolina Reaper Blazin’ wings in 5 minutes and the fastest times will advance, with the champ winning a pair of tickets to the 2021 Final Four and Championship, plus free wings for a year! There are 30 sports bars around the Indy area participating in the competition so visit MMBlazinChallenge.com to find out where you can enter.
The first round is open from Friday 3/19 thru Monday, 3/22 and is free to enter. Now it’s your turn, Indy! Go to MMBlazinChallenge.com