The Indianapolis Colts officially placed wide receiver Alec Pierce on injured reserve on Saturday, Sept. 26. Though Colts head coach Shane Steichen announced earlier in the week that the move was coming, it wasn’t made official until Saturday.
Pierce exited Indy’s week two matchup with a heel injury, sustained in the first quarter while cutting on an out route. Chiefs CB Nohl Williams inadvertently stepped on Pierce’s heel during the route, and Pierce quickly hobbled off the field after the play.
Pierce will now miss a minimum of four weeks. It is a reaggravation of an injury to his left heel, which was surgically repaired during the offseason.
Pierce to Miss Minimum of Four Weeks for Colts
Pierce was slated for a big season as he signed a four year, $114 million contract with the Colts over the offseason. Pierce was Indianapolis’ WR1 heading into the season after Michael Pittman departed for Pittsburgh over the offseason.
Pierce had this to say about Indianapolis before entering free agency at the end of last season.
“At this point now, it’s like, I love Indy. I’ve loved playing there — great organization, great people in the city,” Pierce said. “Just a ton of support. I know we haven’t been as good as we could be, and I know we can be.
Through his first four seasons in the NFL, Pierce established himself as one of the best deep threats in the league. He led the NFL in yards per reception in 2024 and 2025, with 22.3 and 21.3 YPR in those campaigns.
Pierce eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career last season with 1,003. He did that while only catching 47 passes.
Pierce has 17 touchdowns and over 3,000 receiving yards in his NFL career.
Colts Make Roster Moves After Pierce Decision
To fill Pierce’s spot on the roster, the Colts elevated WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine from the practice squad on Saturday.
Westbrook-Ikhine carved out a role for himself with the Tennessee Titans for four seasons from 2021 to 2024. Though he was never a bonafide WR1, the Indiana product had some highly productive seasons, most notably in 2024 when he caught 32 passes for 497 yards and an impressive nine touchdowns.
Westbrook-Ikhine spent the 2025 season in Miami, catching just 11 passes for 89 yards.
Colts QB Daniel Jones will now need to find a new No. 1 option on the outside as he looks to lift Indy from their 0-2 record. He still has the reliable Tyler Warren at tight end as a safety blanket, but on the outside, Jones will now look towards Josh Downs to become the WR1 in Pierce’s absence.
Downs has been a productive third option for the Colts for the last couple of seasons. His career best season came in 2024 when he caught 72 passes for 803 yards while reeling in five touchdowns.
The Colts will also need veteran Keenan Allen to step up to catch more passes. Allen has been in the NFL since 2013 and has been a 1,000 yard receiver six times.
Colts Announce Final Decision on Alec Pierce Injury