Colts’ Receiver Alec Pierce Placed On IR Following Heel Injury In Week 2 Overtime Loss

by Arop KualSeptember 24, 2026, 5:23 pm >

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce has been placed on injury reserve after he exited the Sunday night game against the Kansas City Chiefs after suffering a left heel injury late in the first quarter.

After the game, Colts head coach Shane Steichen said that the X-rays were negative. Pierce was seen leaving Arrowhead Stadium on crutches, with his left leg in a boot.

On Wednesday, after evaluating the injury, Steichen told reporters that Pierce would be placed on injury reserve. Pierce will rehab with the “hope” of returning this season, but The Athletic’s James Boyd reported there’s no definitive timeline.

Pierce returned to the lineup late last month after spending time sidelined for a heel surgery in March. The Colts were managing the load by limiting his snaps and practice reps to gradually get him back in shape. However, after five months of rehab, Pierce played in each of the Colts’ first two games.

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“We went through that rehab process; he hit all his landmarks, hit all his benchmarks, and then obviously we eased him back into practice,” Steichen said. “The trainers and doctors felt good about it, Pierce felt good about it to go play. We limited him in practice working those first two weeks; he had limited reps Week 1.”

“Injuries happen. You never want to see it happen, but we would have never put him on the field if we didn’t feel good about it and he didn’t feel good about it.”

After consulting with multiple physicians, the Colts hope Pierce will overcome the heel issue, as the player and team agreed to a rehabilitation plan. When asked whether surgery was on the table, Steichen said it isn’t currently being discussed.

In the offseason, Pierce signed a four-year, $114 million contract in March, which set him up as the team’s lead receiver after he posted his first 1,000-yard season in 2025.

Pierce led the NFL in yards per catch in each of the past two seasons. The Colts are tied for 30th in the NFL with just two pass attempts of 20 more air yards. Without their feature receiver, the Colts’ pass game may continue to remain among the league’s worst.