Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. was downgraded from questionable to out ahead of the Week 16 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, the team announced Saturday.
The reason was due to a setback Pittman had with a concussion he sustained last week. This comes as a big surprise considering Pittman passed through the protocol and was cleared by an independent neurologist, which was the final step in the protocol.
However, ESPN’s Stephen Holder reported that after Pittman traveled with the team to Atlanta, he developed concussion symptoms Saturday. He was still listed as questionable due to an additional shoulder injury, but he was still expected to play before the setback with the concussion symptoms.
This is a massive blow to the Colts offense. Pittman has been nothing short of consistent throughout the entire season. He has 99 receptions for 1,062 yards and four touchdowns.
Pittman will be entered back into the league’s protocol, which means his status is in question for the Week 17 game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Colts have a crucial game Sunday against the Falcons. They currently hold the No. 6 seed in the AFC playoff race thanks to the Cincinnati Bengals’ loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and they find themselves in a three-way tie for the AFC South lead.
Losing Pittman is a big deal for the Colts offense, and it will be up to rookie Josh Downs to lead the receiving corps.
