Most players don’t get traded on their own terms. When Michael Pittman Jr. realized his time with the Indianapolis Colts was ending, he made a push to make Pittsburgh his next stop. During a Friday introductory press conference, Pittman revealed the Steelers were his top choice.
“When I knew that this was a possibility, I was really pumped for it,” he told reporters via the team’s YouTube channel. “When I got the chance to [meet] Coach Mike [McCarthy] and everything that he said, the way that he plans on using me, I just got fired up. And I was really just making a push to like try to get here.”
A decreasing role in Indianapolis, a large contract, and Alec Pierce re-signing on a record deal meant that Pittman no longer had a home with the Colts. In Pittsburgh, he’ll serve as the team’s clear No. 2 receiver. An underneath route runner with the Colts, Pittman shared his excitement to be used in different ways.
“In Indy, I played a certain role there. You’re asked to play a certain role, you gotta do it. Just getting back to where I have more of a diverse route tree and like stuff like that,” he said.
Last year, Pittman averaged less than 10 yards on 80 receptions and just over 8 yards per target. As shared by Matt Harmon, Pittman’s routes primarily consisted of digs, curls, and slants.
New Steelers WR Michael Pittman's 2025 #ReceptionPerception profile 🔥
Some highlights:
– 70.8% success rate vs. man coverage
– 80.5% success rate vs. zone coverage
I've always been a fan of Pittman's game as a reliable player who can play multiple positions. He fits well into… pic.twitter.com/RlI206gU3P
— Matt Harmon (@MattHarmon_BYB) March 11, 2026
While Pittman declined to share specifics over his new role, it sounds like he’ll be used downfield a lot more with Pittsburgh leaning on his 6-4 frame and combat-catch ability. All the more reason for Pittman to be excited about becoming a Steeler.
Assuming the Steelers address the position early in next month’s draft, Pittsburgh will have its best wide receiver trio in a long time. There’s excitement on both sides. Pittman for a fresh start and new role with the Steelers. For Pittsburgh, a veteran receiver to be its best No. 2 in several seasons, and one the organization felt strongly enough about to reward with a $59 million extension as part of the trade.
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