Indianapolis Colts' head coach Shane Steichen announced on Wednesday that wide receiver Alec Pierce is being placed on injured reserve.
Pierce exited the Colts' Week 2 matchup in Kansas City after aggravating his left heel injury—the same one he had surgery on during the offseason.
Rather than undergoing surgery, Pierce is planning to rehab the injury in hopes of returning.
Colts HC Shane Steichen: WR Alec Pierce (heel) being placed on IR. He'll miss at least next 4 games.
— Mike Chappell (@mchappell51) September 23, 2026
By being placed on IR, Pierce will have to miss a minimum of four games, although according toESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the timeline for his return could be a big longer.
"The team and player -- after getting a second opinion -- are hopeful for about a four-to-six-week absence, sources
said," Fowler wrote.
Fowler then added, "It's a complicated injury situation, not as clear-cut as some others. How he feels in his rehab week-to-week will be crucial."
Without Pierce on the field for much of Sunday's game, the Colts' offense very much missed his speed. That unit's ability to generate explosive plays without Pierce on the field becomes much more difficult, not only because of his big-play potential being absent, but also because opponents can now defend the Colts' offense more aggressively.
In an effort to add more juice to the passing game, the Colts signed Darius Slayton.
Over the last two seasons, Pierce has led the NFL in yards per catch. He eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in 2025.
This offseason, Pierce signed a four-year, $114 million deal to return to the Colts in free agency.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Colts Alec Pierce to injured reserve; how much time will he miss?
