The Indianapolis Colts appear to be a tight-knit group. A classic example of this is the fact that quarterback Anthony Richardson was demoted to a backup this season, but the move did not upset the locker room. Instead, the team had AR5's back, and he had new starter Daniel Jones' back.
A team with a lack of a good culture doesn't survive such major moves. Indy brushed it off and moved on. Now that All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner is a Colt, he likely will be welcomed and fit right in as well.
Wide receiver and team leader, Michael Pittman Jr., will be among those players who make sure Gardner is good with his new home. That said, Pittman still isn't happy that fellow receiver Adonai Mitchell was part of the deal and will no longer be in Indy. Again, the Colts are a tight-knit group.
Michael Pittman has some thoughts on the Indianapolis Colts trading Adonai Mitchell
Pittman posted on social media, "We sent my youngin" followed by a one-tear crying emoji. His opinion obviously differs from the team's management, though.
Mitchell wasn't going to see the field much. The 2024 second-round draft pick caught just 41 percent of his targets as a rookie, and when finally given a chance to succeed this season in Week 4, he failed miserably. In fact, the receiver was the sole reason that Indianapolis lost the game.
We sent my youngin😢
— MPJ (@MikePitt_Jr) November 4, 2025
He was about to score a late touchdown before he began to celebrate a bit too early, dropped the ball, and had it roll out of the back of the end zone. Instead of a touchdown, Indy's opponent, the Los Angeles Rams, had a touchback. Mitchell's move was at least a six-point swing.
He later was called for holding on a Jonathan Taylor touchdown run. That would have given Indy the lead late in the fourth quarter.
Since the Week 4 meltdown, Mitchell hadn't seen the field much. He was either a healthy scratch ahead of a game, or only saw a target or two. As the Indianapolis Colts wide receiver group is deep, Adonai Mitchell was not left with much room to move back up on the depth chart.
A change to the New York Jets might help him. Sometimes, a change of scenery is all a player needs to be better. Hopefully, that happens with Mitchell. Michael Pittman certainly hopes so.