The Pittsburgh Steelers traded late-round picks with the Indianapolis Colts to acquire wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., then signed him to a three-year, $59 million contract. Reactions poured in from Ben Roethlisberger, NFL.com's Jeffri Chadiha, and Steelers insiders Aditi Kinkhabwala and Brooke Pryor, praising the move for its value, leadership, and fit alongside DK Metcalf.
The Pittsburgh Steelers addressed their wide receiver needs in the 2026 offseason by trading late-round picks with the Indianapolis Colts for Michael Pittman Jr., moving down just 16 picks in the process. The team quickly signed the 2020 second-round pick, who turns 29 this season, to a three-year, $59 million deal, securing him as the WR2 alongside DK Metcalf (acquired the prior year). The Colts parted ways due to salary cap issues after extending Alec Pierce, despite Pittman's reliability—playing at least 13 games every season and posting 800+ yards in four of six years, including a career-high seven touchdowns in 2025 (though yardage dipped after QB Daniel Jones' injury).
Former Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger reacted on his Footbahlin’ podcast: “When I saw that, I was like, ‘Is this real?’ How did Indy let him go? That is gigantic. DK, him, and you still have Roman Wilson...” NFL.com’s Jeffri Chadiha ranked it the 10th-best offseason move: “There’s no question that the job [quarterback] should be more attractive with Pittman coming to town… Metcalf can provide an explosive vertical threat while having another receiver who can take the pressure off him.”
Insiders echoed the praise. ESPN's Brooke Pryor noted on the Chipped Ham and Football podcast: “Consistency is the biggest pro, and his route-running is huge,” fitting a precise QB like the anticipated 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers. CBS Sports' Aditi Kinkhabwala highlighted Pittman's leadership during a back injury with the Colts, where he invested heavily in recovery to support teammates—a 'tone setter' the Steelers need. Pittman addressed the media post-trade, appearing grateful.
Pittman's quick-game skills and press-beating ability complement Metcalf's deep threat and ease pressure on Roman Wilson and depth like Ben Skowronek. With draft capital remaining, Pittsburgh could add speed but now boasts a stabilized, improved passing attack.
