Alec Pierce Discusses Ankle Surgery and Season Readiness
WHO:
colts.com - Alec Pierce, wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts, age 26.
colts.com - Shane Steichen, head coach of the Indianapolis Colts.
colts.com - Chris Ballard, general manager of the Indianapolis Colts.
WHAT:
colts.com - Shane Steichen expects Alec Pierce back "at some point in training camp" following his ankle surgery.
colts.com - Pierce has not participated in OTA or minicamp practices during the Colts' offseason program.
colts.com - Pierce stated, "I think obviously we want the (return) date to be as early as possible, but you kind of got to let your body guide itself and see how you feel."
colts.com - Chris Ballard mentioned in April that the Colts do not anticipate any long-term implications from Pierce undergoing the procedure.
colts.com - Alec Pierce explained that his ankle issue worsened during the 2025 season, affecting his practice and leading to days off.
colts.com - Pierce stated, "I'm glad they figured out what the issue was and we were able to fix it."
colts.com - General manager Chris Ballard mentioned in April that the Colts do not anticipate any long-term implications from Pierce undergoing the procedure.
colts.com - Pierce has been mentally engaged during his recovery, stating, "I've been trying to stand behind the quarterbacks a little bit and just kind of hear what they're saying and what's going through their mind."
colts.com - Alec Pierce underwent a clean-up procedure on his ankle.
colts.com - Pierce crossed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career during the 2025 season.
colts.com - Pierce led the NFL in yards per catch for the second consecutive season.
colts.com - Pierce received a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection after the 2025 season.
Draft Sharks - Pierce stopped short of guaranteeing that he'll be ready for Week 1.
WHERE:
colts.com - Indianapolis Colts' training camp.
WHEN:
colts.com - The PRP injection was administered shortly after the 2025 season.
colts.com - The decision for Pierce to undergo surgery was made by late March.
colts.com - The rehab process from the PRP injection was expected to take six to eight weeks.
WHY:
colts.com - Pierce's ankle had been bothering him since the end of the 2024 season.
colts.com - Doctors advised Pierce that he would eventually require surgery to avoid a more significant injury.
HOW:
colts.com - The decision for Pierce to undergo surgery was made collectively, with the knowledge it could jeopardize his availability for the beginning of training camp.
colts.com - Pierce and the Colts collectively decided to proceed with surgery after the PRP injection did not alleviate the issue, with doctors advising that surgery was necessary to avoid a more significant injury.
colts.com - Pierce began a rehab process after receiving the PRP injection.
colts.com - Pierce and the Colts collectively decided to proceed with surgery after the PRP injection did not alleviate the issue.
(UPDATED June 10, 2026 23:39 UTC)
Shane Steichen has indicated that Alec Pierce is expected to return "at some point in training camp" after undergoing ankle surgery, although he has not participated in OTA or minicamp practices this offseason. Pierce expressed his desire for an early return, stating, "I think obviously we want the (return) date to be as early as possible, but you kind of got to let your body guide itself and see how you feel." Colts general manager Chris Ballard previously mentioned that they do not anticipate any long-term implications from Pierce's procedure, which was a collective decision knowing it could affect his availability for the start of training camp.
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(UPDATED June 10, 2026 19:51 UTC)
Alec Pierce has shared that his ankle issue worsened during the 2025 season, which impacted his practice schedule and required him to take days off. He expressed relief that the problem was identified and addressed, stating, "I'm glad they figured out what the issue was and we were able to fix it." General manager Chris Ballard noted that the Colts do not expect any long-term effects from Pierce's surgery, which was deemed necessary after a PRP injection failed to resolve the issue.
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(UPDATED June 10, 2026 17:59 UTC)
Alec Pierce, the wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts, recently underwent a clean-up procedure on his ankle after experiencing discomfort since the end of the 2024 season. Despite crossing the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career and leading the NFL in yards per catch for the second consecutive season, Pierce and the team decided surgery was necessary after a PRP injection failed to resolve the issue. While he is currently in rehab, Pierce has stopped short of guaranteeing his readiness for Week 1 of the upcoming season.