Throughout the 2024 season, Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. was constantly praised as one of the toughest guys on the team – no question. The extent of that toughness was fully revealed, however, on Monday when the fifth-year veteran revealed he had been playing through a back fracture for the entire season.
Pittman decided early on that nothing was going to keep him from playing and, in a display of his determination to play the game he loves, only missed one game this season in Week 10 against the Buffalo Bills. In 16 games played, Pittman recorded 69 receptions for 808 yards and three touchdowns. He was second on the team in receiving yards as well as yards per reception (11.7).
"That's just what you have to do for the guys, because this isn't a fair weather sport," Pittman said. "Guys like Quenton (Nelson), Jonathan Taylor, D-Buck (DeForest Buckner), they deserve my best even when maybe I don't feel up to it."
"He's one of those guys you fight for and continue to play for," Buckner said. "He's willing to go out there with a fractured back majority of the season, almost damn near the entire season. You think of guys like that and you got little nicks and dings and you're like 'Man, Pitt's out here with a bad back, I've got to do more, I've got to do my part.'"
Pittman was initially having scans every four weeks, but eventually decided nothing was going to stop him from playing.
"I got to a point (where) I'm like, I don't really care what the scan says, I'm going to play either way," he said.
Now that the season has concluded, though, Pittman has another scan scheduled. This time, it's to look at a potential surgery – something Pittman said was definitely a possibility. With that, his focus is now on healing and getting back to training as hard as possible to be better for next season, because he knows not to take any game for granted.
"It's a privilege to play in this league, and I don't take any game lightly," Pittman said. "I'm out there because it's just such a privilege, and I take every game serious. And football is really my life. I would really do anything to play each and every game."
