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Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. was involved in a scary incident during the second quarter of the Week 15 battle against the Pittsburgh Steelers at home on Saturday.
On a 2nd-and-8 play for the Colts offense, Pittman was running a crossing route across the field when quarterback Gardner Minshew launched a slightly awry pass.
The young wide receiver dove for the ball and latched on to it before taking a vicious hit to his face from Steelers' defensive back Damontae Kazee.
Pittman stayed on the turf after the hit, prompting the Colts' medical staff to rush to the wide receiver's aid. Players from both teams took a knee to pray for the wide receiver.
Pittman was having a spectacular game, catching four passes for 78 yards before the injury. Kazee was flagged for unnecessary roughness and was ejected from the game.
Michael Pittman Jr. injury update: WR out with concussion
A loud cheer erupted inside Lucas Oil Stadium as Michael Pittman Jr. sprung up after spending time on the turf receiving medical assistance. He walked off the field on his own accord, a positive outcome, given the circumstances.
Pittman was taken to the locker room for further evaluation and was eventually ruled out with a concussion. The wide receiver will now enter the NFL concussion protocol.
The Colts will hope that Pittman will clear the protocol before their Week 16 game against the Atlanta Falcons. The wide receiver has been sensational this season. He broke the 1,000 receiving yards barrier for the second time in his NFL career before exiting the game against the Steelers.
Michael Pittman injury update for Week 16
On the Pat McAfee Show this week, head coach Shane Steichen said of Pittman:
"He's feeling good. Talk about the definition of toughness, it's Michael Pittman."
Signs point towards Pittman being cleared to return in Week 16, though the concussion protocol has been dicey this year. CJ Stroud was ruled out of Week 16 with a concussion and failed to recover in half.
AFC Playoff Picture: Colts keep division title hopes alive
The Colts are engaged in a tight battle with the 8-5 Jacksonville Jaguars for the AFC South division title.
They trail them by only half a game but are 0-2 against their division rivals this season. They will hope that the Baltimore Ravens beat the Jaguars on Sunday Night Football and keep their dreams of a division title alive.
The Colts' season was in dire straits when rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in their Week 5 over the Tennessee Titans. However, Gardner Minshew has been exceptional and has kept his team's season alive.
The Colts' 30-13 win over the Steelers saw them take a massive step towards the playoffs. They have won four of their last five games and will look to make it five in six in Atlanta next week. Indianapolis will hope that Michael Pittman Jr. also joins them on their trip to Georgia.
