Colts' Alec Pierce Explains Decision on Surgery, Provides Rehab Update

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce revealed why ankle surgery was the best option moving forward.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (14) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers in the second quarter of the game at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Many were surprised to hear that Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce had a cleanup procedure on his ankle this spring.

The news came shortly after Pierce signed a four-year, $114 million extension, the largest contract for a free agent wide receiver in NFL history. The extension followed a breakout campaign for Pierce in which he had over 1,000 yards receiving for the first time and led the NFL in yards per catch (21.3) for the second year in a row.

But despite not missing a game last season due to the ankle injury, the issue had been building for a long time.

“It had been bothering me since the end of like the 2024 season, so just was dealing with that and kind of finding ways (to play)," Pierce explained. "But it definitely got a little bit worse as the season went, and probably the last month (of the season) I'd say was kind of struggling, affected practice, had taken some days off and stuff."

Pierce spoke to the media Wednesday for the first time since having the procedure on his ankle. The Colts are in the midst of mandatory minicamp before breaking for the summer until training camp. Pierce will not be participating in minicamp as he continues to rehab, but has been present at every practice.

The wide receiver confirmed that surgery was not the first option. He and the team tried another route first to see if the ankle would heal.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (14) catches a touchdown pass against the Houston Texans during the first half at NRG Stadium. | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

"I got a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) shot done, which is very inflammatory," Pierce remarked. "So I got that done like a day or two after the season to see if it would help it heal. And that's a six-to-eight week process, and I was in a boot for maybe two or three weeks of the first (part) of it and then basically started rehab from there."

The hope was that the PRP shot would be enough, taking away the sharp pain Pierce had felt in his ankle over the last few months. Unfortunately, the results were not favorable.

"I think I was back to jogging, but still nothing too explosive," Pierce remembered. "So, we were seeing how that shot reacted and seeing if that helped kind of heal it. And I don't think it did as much as we wanted it to. It didn't fix the problem."

When the shot didn't work, Pierce and the Colts had two options: Look for another band-aid and address it after the season, or take care of the issue now.

"Talking with the doctor, I think we determined that surgery was the smartest play for the long term," Pierce said. "They kind of were saying I was going to have to do it at some point. And then, when I asked them what the time frame was, he said, like, four to six months. It was like late March, so then I was like, 'Okay, four months gets me basically to camp.'

"So, just hearing that time frame, then it was a quick turnaround, right?" he continued. "Because they were like, 'Okay, if we're going to do this, we've got to do this now.' ... Then I started talking about the risks (of waiting) and stuff like that. And I think we just determined that it was smart to take care of it now with the risks ... of having a worse injury happen during the season."

The last thing the Colts want to happen is for their $114 million WR1 to make the injury worse and miss a considerable amount of time. Pierce also wants to do everything possible to prevent that, especially given his expanded role in the offense moving forward. For the Colts' offense to succeed, Pierce will need to be healthy and productive.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (14) signals a first down after a catch Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, against the Arizona Cardinals at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Pierce had the surgery at the end of March, putting him at just over two months since the procedure. Following the four-to-six-month timeline given, Pierce will be at four months post-op as the Colts begin training camp.

While Pierce is hopeful he can be ready to go when the Colts reconvene in July, he is quickly learning that his body will be the ultimate judge of his availability.

"I think obviously we want the date to be as early as possible, but kind of got to let your body guide yourself and see how you feel because what I'm learning with the rehab is the more you overdo it, the more sore you get," Pierce admitted. "(It) can sometimes be counterproductive. So, I'm learning when to push through the pain and soreness and when to back off."

It would not be a surprise to see Pierce miss some time at the beginning of training camp. Just as the Colts are taking a conservative approach with Daniel Jones, Indy will be smart with Pierce as well. All that matters is that Pierce is healthy and ready when the regular season begins.

And if you ask Pierce, he's right on track.

"Doing well," Pierce said when asked about his recovery. "I think right on time just following the rehab process. ... I'm glad they kind of figured out what the issue was, and we were able to figure it out, fix it.”

Over the last five games of the 2025 season, when the ankle pain was at its worst, Pierce racked up 392 yards and five touchdowns. Now, imagine what a fully healthy Pierce can be for the Colts this season.

As long as the ankle is ready to go, big things are in store for #14.

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