Colts WR Alec Pierce details ankle clean-up surgery, eyes a return “at some point in training camp”

The Indianapolis Colts will begin training camp with wide receiver Alec Pierce expected to be absent for at least the early portion, but the team’s outlook for his availability is now clearer after Pierce and head coach Shane Steichen addressed the next steps in his recovery. Steichen said Tuesday he expects Pierce back “at some point in training camp” following a clean-up procedure earlier this spring.

Pierce said the ankle problem had been lingering since the end of the 2024 season and worsened as the 2025 season progressed. He described how it affected his practice participation late in the year, saying, “It definitely got a little bit worse as the (2025) season went. Probably the last month I’d say I was kind of struggling – (it) affected practice, I’d taken some days off. I’m glad they figured out what the issue was and we were able to fix it.”

According to Pierce, the initial treatment plan involved a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection shortly after the 2025 season. The Colts’ timeline for that approach was framed as a rehab period expected to last six to eight weeks, which would have carried him toward mid-March. Pierce said the PRP did not solve the underlying issue, so he and the organization began evaluating options for a more definitive resolution.

Pierce also explained why he did not simply continue through the discomfort. Doctors told him he would eventually require surgery, and that postponing the procedure could increase the risk of a more significant injury. By late March, the decision was made to proceed with the clean-up procedure on the ankle, and the recovery process has since become the central question for his 2026 offseason readiness.

The Colts’ summer routine has been structured accordingly. Pierce has not participated in OTA or minicamp practices during Indianapolis’ offseason program, a notable gap for a receiver whose route timing and chemistry typically develop through group reps as much as through film work.

Context matters because Pierce’s role in the Colts’ passing game was steady in 2025, despite the pain. The team’s official recap of Pierce’s explanation notes he reached the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career and led the NFL in yards per catch for the second consecutive season. That combination of big-play efficiency and production is part of why the Colts, and Pierce himself, are focused on getting the ankle functional enough to handle the physical repetition of camp.

Steichen’s expectation of a late-camp return places Pierce in the familiar midseason preparation bucket for NFL teams. It means the Colts will likely plan for a gradual ramp once he is cleared, balancing the need for practice continuity with the risk of rushing a recovery that required surgery after PRP failed to address the issue.

As camp approaches, the key storyline is not only when Pierce returns, but how quickly he can absorb full-speed reps. The Colts’ early camp practices, and how the team manages his workload once he begins participating, will be the clearest indicators for whether he is on track to be a reliable part of the offense well before the regular-season opener.