Shane Steichen has left the Indianapolis Colts waiting on Alec Pierce, saying the wide receiver is “not right now” returning to practice. For a player whose availability has already become an early-season talking point, it is another reminder that there is still no clear timetable.
The update matters because it follows a series of mixed signals around Pierce’s recovery. Chris Ballard had said more than two weeks ago that Pierce would likely return to practice two weeks later, but that expectation has not been backed up by the latest comment from the head coach. The result is uncertainty, and for fantasy football managers as much as for the Colts themselves, uncertainty is rarely a helpful place to be.
Why the timeline has shifted again
Pierce had surgery in March, and the latest update suggests the issue may still be ongoing rather than close to being resolved. There was also organizational confusion over whether he had received a second PRP injection, which only added to the lack of clarity around his recovery.
Steichen’s words were brief, but they carried weight. “Not right now” is not the kind of answer that points to an immediate return to practice, and it leaves the Colts without a firm date to plan around.
What it means for the Colts
For Indianapolis, the concern is less about a single update and more about the drift it creates. When a receiver’s return keeps getting pushed back, the team is forced to keep adjusting expectations without much certainty.
That is why Pierce has become an early-season fantasy football concern as well. Until there is a firmer practice update, the best reading is simple: the Colts are still waiting, and Alec Pierce is not back just yet.
