Colts Place Alec Pierce on Injured Reserve Following Heel Injury Recurrence

The Indianapolis Colts are moving wide receiver Alec Pierce to injured reserve after he was unable to put weight on his left foot following Sunday's game.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce is being placed on injured reserve due to a recurrence of a heel injury, head coach Shane Steichen announced Wednesday. Pierce exited Sunday's game late in the first quarter and was unable to put weight on his left foot afterward. The move comes after the receiver underwent heel surgery in March and missed five months of rehab before returning for the first two games of the 2026 season.

Steichen defended the team's handling of the injury, noting that Pierce hit all medical benchmarks and was on a limited snap count during Week 1. Multiple physicians have recommended a rehabilitation plan rather than additional surgery for the wideout, who signed a four-year, $114 million contract in March. Pierce led the NFL in yards per catch over the last two seasons and recorded his first 1,000-yard season in 2025.

To address the loss of their deep threat, the Colts signed veteran free agent Darius Slayton on Tuesday. Slayton, a former teammate of quarterback Daniel Jones with the New York Giants, is expected to practice Wednesday afternoon. The Colts currently rank tied for 30th in the league with only two pass attempts of 20 or more air yards. Slayton aims to be available for Sunday's matchup against the winless Houston Texans.