Colts hold breath on Alec Pierce after deep threat leaves game in boot

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KANSAS CITY, MO — The Colts do not have a preliminary timetable on Alec Pierce‘s return after the team’s top deep threat was knocked out of Sunday’s game due to a heel injury.

Pierce underwent X-rays at Arrowhead Stadium, and those X-rays were negative, offering Indianapolis head coach Shane Steichen a reason for optimism.

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But Pierce left the stadium using crutches and wearing a boot on his left foot, the same foot that Pierce has been rehabilitating since undergoing offseason surgery to correct a bone issue that was causing pain in his ankle.

Indianapolis did not have any further details than Pierce’s X-ray results.

“I don’t,” Steichen said. “I’ll probably update you guys tomorrow.”

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Sep 20, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid speaks with Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen during warmups prior to the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

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Pierce has been listed with a heel on the team’s injury report for two weeks. When the 2025 season ended, Pierce was dealing with pain in his left ankle, and he initially tried a platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, injection to heal the joint without undergoing surgery. When that did not work, Pierce underwent surgery in late March, knowing that the timetable for recovery is four to six months.

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Indianapolis general manager Chris Ballard initially believed Pierce would miss only one or two weeks of training camp, but Pierce ended up missing all of the practices open to the public. Pierce returned two weeks before the start of the regular season and played 32 snaps in the season opener, catching four passes for 61 yards.

Pierce’s role was expected to expand this week, and he caught one pass for 11 yards before suffering an issue in his heel that sent Pierce hopping for the sideline. Doctors examined Pierce in the team’s injury tent for a long time, carted him off the sideline for X-rays and then ruled out Pierce shortly after he underwent an examination in the locker room.

“Alec’s a great receiver, you know what he does,” Colts slot receiver Josh Downs said. “It speaks for itself, don’t really have to get into that. I hope he’s OK, hope he gets back as soon as possible.”

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Pierce has been one of the NFL’s best deep threats for the past two seasons, averaging more than 21 yards per catch on 84 receptions, numbers that haven’t been seen since DeSean Jackson was roaming NFL fields. Beyond the explosive plays, Pierce’s presence opens up everything for the rest of the Colts‘ receivers underneath, and it will be difficult to keep defenses honest without Pierce available.

Veteran wide receiver Laquon Treadwell stepped into Pierce’s role, catching two passes for 58 yards, including a 48-yard catch in overtime to set up a game-tying field goal in overtime. Treadwell also drew two pass-interference penalties for 49 yards.

“Alec’s my brother,” Treadwell said. “It was tough to see, and I knew Alec would want me to go out there and make plays. He even came up to me after the game and said ‘Great job stepping in.'”

Now, the Colts have to find out how long Treadwell will have to try to play Pierce’s role.

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Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts hold breath on Alec Pierce after deep threat leaves game in boot

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