The Indianapolis Colts wanted to keep wide receiver Michael Pittman around for a long time, but that was in 2024. In fact, Indy wanted Pittman to be a long-term option so much that the team overpaid for him, and that has now led to him being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Aren't the Steelers lucky?
The truth is that the Colts needed to make a decision on Pittman this offseason, and the answer was going to be negative either way. The team could either release the player and save $24 million against the cap or find a trade partner. The latter seemed unlikely due to Pittman's contract, but Pittsburgh decided the receiver was worth the move.
Not only did the Steelers trade for Pittman, in the process doing Indianapolis a bit of a favor, but after acquiring the receiver, Pittsburgh signed Pittman to an extension for three years and a maximum of $59 million. It's going to pay off, and likely extremely successfully.
Former Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman could turn into Pittsburgh Steelers gold
Pittman's production wasn't the issue for Indy. He didn't become the year-in and year-out 1,200-yard receiver the team wished for, but he was sure-handed and helped move the chains. In essence, he was the kind of possession receiver that the San Francisco 49ers would have loved in the 1980s.
The new Steelers receiver should be exactly what they need opposite DK Metcalf. The latter is an explosive receiver, much in the same way Alec Pierce is for the Colts, though Pierce lacks the bombastic and furious rage that Metcalf can show on the field. Pittman will know how to work off what Metcalf does, and the former Colts receiver could have his best season in 2026.
He's a good guy, good in the locker room, and has a high football IQ. That he is no longer with the Indianapolis Colts isn't his fault, but the team's. A player is trying to get as much money as they can in the short amount of time they have to play football. The team might be reluctant to give that money.
NFL contracts are quite odd. In a normal employer-employee relationship, a person takes a job and is paid what they are offered initially (or after a raise). In football, an employer makes an offer, but the employee might not get everything that's offered even if they meet certain criteria along the way.
Michael Pittman was a good employee for the Indianapolis Colts. He will be one for the Pittsburgh Steelers, too. He should still be in Indy except for his contract structure. Instead, he will make Steelers fans happy.