The Indianapolis Colts came up with a huge win in Week 3 over the Houston Texans. The 19-17 victory was a hard-fought AFC South battle. One of the more impressive parts of the matchup was Daniel Jones finding ways to make things happen without one of his top weapons.
Alec Pierce is on Injured Reserve (IR) after suffering a setback with the same heel injury that led to surgery in the offseason. In his absence, Josh Downs, Keenan Allen and Tyler Warren really stepped up. It will still be beneficial for the offensive unit to get back Pierce back sooner rather than later.
The pass-catcher was on the receiving end of a four-year, $114 million contract extension. The Colts view him as a long-term deep-ball option for Jones and the offense. Unfortunately, that has not started off the way the franchise envisioned.
In a Week 2 bout against the Kansas City Chiefs, the wideout was carted off to the locker room. This was due to another ankle/heel problem. It ended up being related to the same ailment that required a procedure back in March.
Colts Provide Crucial Update On Pierce
It was notable when reporters saw that Pierce had a walking boot on over the weekend. This triggered The Athletic‘s James Boyd to ask Steichen if another surgery had occurred. Thankfully, the response from the head coach was positive when he spoke during his Monday press conference.
“No, he’s rehabbing. There is no surgery,” Steichen firmly stated.
This is a simple but significant update from Steichen. There could have been a chance that Pierce wasn’t just going on IR for a quick stint. Surgery may have been in play to repair whatever the issue is. However, it seems as if that has been avoided.
While he will be on the sideline for a minimum of four games, the positive news is that, as of now, rehab is the only course of action. The most important thing for Pierce will be getting fully healthy, and returning without the chance of facing yet another setback.
Timeline For A Potential Return To The Lineup For Pierce
The Colts will take on the Minnesota Vikings in Week 7. That is when Pierce will be eligible to return. It’s no sure thing that he will be good to go, though.
Fans can at least take solace in the fact that surgery is not on the table again. That hints at the fact that the Indianapolis training staff has hope for a quick recovery.
Colts’ Shane Steichen Gives Critical Alec Pierce Injury Update