Colts receiver Michael Pittman Jr. is favorably compared to an NFL legend
Michael Pittman Jr. is in his third year with the Indianapolis Colts and his impressive play has drawn comparisons to a great receiver.
Much has been made about the lack of weapons the Indianapolis Colts have but it’s always made clear that Michael Pittman Jr. is the lone proven receiver. After breaking out in his second season last year with 88 catches for 1,082 yards and six touchdowns, Pittman has entered year three with the expectations of a No. 1 receiver.
In his first game of the year, he didn’t disappoint. In Week 1 against the Houston Texans, Pittman was targeted 13 times and hauled in nine passes for 121 yards and a game-tying touchdown. After missing Week 2 with an injury, Pittman returned to the lineup in Week 3 against the Kansas City Chiefs and caught eight passes for 72 yards.
Now, as an established receiver in the NFL, Pittman is starting to get more acknowledgment in league circles. Recently, a current general manager compared Pittman to a receiver that will be in the Hall of Fame one day. Jordan Schultz wrote in a recent piece for theScore that Pittman is receiving high praise from people all throughout the league.
Schultz said one anonymous general manager compared Pittman to Arizona Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald, saying, “Just the way he’s able to separate at the line and also at the top of his routes. His size, too. … Going to be one of the best for a long time.” That’s a great comparison and it says a lot about how impressive Pittman has been so far in his young career.
Michael Pittman Jr. compared to Larry Fitzgerald by NFL GM
Fitzgerald played 17 seasons in the NFL, all with the Cardinals. While he isn’t officially retired, Fitzgerald is already working in television and it has been two years since he last played, so everyone assumes his playing career is done. If it is, it was a special one, as Larry Fitzgerald established himself as one of the best receivers of the last two decades.
In his 17 seasons, Fitz had over 17,000 receiving yards and 121 receiving touchdowns. He also went to 11 Pro Bowls and played in a Super Bowl, losing a close game to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2008 season. Fitzgerald is currently second on the all-time receiving yards list, trailing only Jerry Rice.
So while Pittman’s play style may be similar, he has a long way to go before his career is comparable to Larry Fitzgerald’s. However, the Colts are surely hoping Pittman can have even a fraction of that sustained success. Not only would it be great if Pittman can continue his emergence into a star receiver but it would be even better for the Colts if he played his entire career in Indianapolis like Fitzgerald played all his years with the Cardinals.
