Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. left his team’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers last week after taking a big hit from Steelers safety Damontae Kazee. Kazee was ejected for the hit, and Pittman was examined for a concussion.
Pittman cleared concussion protocol this week and will likely be available for the Colts’ Week 16 matchup with the Atlanta Falcons, but that did not make the situation any less frightening for him.
“It’s by the pure grace of God that I was able to get up and walk,” Pittman said, via Nate Atkins of The Indianapolis Star. “That was a scary hit. Going through my head at the point was nothing. I wasn’t thinking nothing. I didn’t know where I was at.”
Kazee was not only ejected, but he was suspended for the remainder of the season by the NFL. He had already been fined by the league five times before the hit on Pittman.
“I do think that they were head-hunting, but I don’t think he meant to impose life-changing injury,” Pittman said. “I don’t think any player has that in them. You never want to see guys lose games and lose that much money. I don’t think he was trying to do that. He has a family, too. I know that’s a hefty fine. He’s going to miss out on a lot of money that he was counting on. So you never want to see that.”
Pittman has hauled in 99 receptions for 1,062 yards and four touchdowns through the first 14 games of the season.
The 26-year-old, who played his collegiate football at the University of Southern California, was selected by the Colts in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
After a decent rookie campaign, Michael Pittman Jr. broke out in his second season, catching 88 passes for 1,082 yards and six scores. He took a bit of a step back in 2022, snaring 99 balls for 925 yards while reaching the end zone four times.
Indianapolis is 8-6 and currently holds the last Wild Card spot in the AFC. After battling the Falcons, the Colts will take on the Las Vegas Raiders and Houston Texans to wrap up the regular season.
Want the latest NFL analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click here. Interested in reading storylines and analysis about the NBA? Check out our partner NBA Analysis Network.
