Source: Icon Sportswire / Getty
**INDIANAPOLIS –** Arguably the finest individual story from the Colts 2024 season, Alec Pierce already has improvement on his mind as he enters a contract year.
There’s no question Pierce is one of the elite big play receivers in the entire NFL.
He led the NFL with 22.3 receiving yards per catch last year.
But as Pierce points to expansion in his game, he knows he’s a baseball hitter that must complement his impressive home run ability.
“I just want to continue expanding my game,” the 4th year pro says. “Working to be more of a factor in all aspects – shorter and intermediate routes. I think I can do a lot more for the team in that stuff and just be more of a threat with the ball in my hands, too.”
If those are looking for somewhat of a relatable comp to what Pierce means, he actually offered one up for fans on the couch.
Anyone playing the modern-day version of the Madden video game?
Let Pierce make the comparison—in hopes to improve making plays catch—to those with the controller.
“(In) Madden, you have an option to catch the ball with one button, and you secure the catch,” Pierce begins. “Then the other button you sometimes drop it, but you run through it, so you catch a slant, and it usually ends up being a big gain.
“So I’ve really worked on running through the catch, being aggressive and stabbing the ball in the air, not slowing down and stopping my feet.”
Getting back to more on-field football jargon, Pierce points to the need to be more efficient out of his break and cleaning up his cuts (“no wasted steps”).
This is the focus for Pierce comes as he enters a contract year.
On the horizon could be a lucrative second contract as others around the NFL view the big play Pierce in high regard.
While Pierce has averaged a non-descript 2.2 catches per game in his career, his ability to get behind a defense is something teams dearly covet.
And if Pierce can add to his “bag” with more consistency underneath, and some plays post-catch, that competition for his next pay day will be there.
“I like to take a very day to today approach with things,” Pierce says when asked about playing in a contract year. “I really don’t think too far in advance. Right now, the whole offseason has been about getting my body ready for OTAs. Now OTAs is about showing that I can do more things, show the coaches what I can do, show the team that I can be more well-rounded and do more things for this offense. Once the summer comes, I’ll have a whole new focus for training camp.
“For me that’s why I have agents. They focus on that type of stuff. I focus on football and what’s coming up in the short term.”
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