"The news from the doctors was jarring: Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr.'s back was effectively broken. In the best-case scenario, a stint on injured reserve seemed inevitable. At worst, his entire season was in jeopardy. But Pittman's reaction to that 2024 injury was not what one might expect. After learning from physicians that he could play through the low-back fracture if he could tolerate the acute pain, Pittman decided to give it a go."
"A few days later, Pittman was back on the field and scored the winning touchdown against the Tennessee Titans. "I just feel like we have so much left that we're playing for," Pittman said then. It was a testament to Pittman's toughness, his teammates and coaches say. He refused to even publicly reveal the actual diagnosis until after the season, having downplayed the severity to avoid being disrespectful to teammates who were also playing hurt."
"But Pittman's performance in 2025 is now revealing something else: What he can do when healthy. After 2024 became Pittman's least productive season in four years because of the limitations of the injury, the Colts' top wideout finally feels like himself, and results have followed. Pittman leads the 3-0 Colts in receiving yards (193) and receptions (16) heading into a Week 4 road game against the Los Angeles Rams (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox)."
Michael Pittman Jr. suffered a low-back fracture in 2024 that doctors said effectively broke his back, risking a stint on injured reserve or his season. After learning he could play through the low-back fracture if he could tolerate acute pain, Pittman returned to the field within days and scored a game-winning touchdown against the Tennessee Titans. He downplayed the diagnosis during the season to avoid disrespecting teammates who were also playing hurt. Pittman struggled statistically in 2024 but entered 2025 fully healthy and leads the 3-0 Colts with 193 receiving yards and 16 catches.
Read at ESPN.com
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