Steelers' Michael Pittman Jr Return Faces An Uncertain Stretch

The Pittsburgh Steelers have spent a month waiting for an expensive piece of their passing attack to get back to work. Finally, there's movement, a recent workout and a head coach sounding more encouraged. That would be great news if the next step were simply finding a helmet and walking into the huddle. One Pittsburgh insider believes the real work is only beginning, and the calendar might not cooperate.

Michael Pittman Jr. has started running again while recovering from the foot injury that landed him on injured reserve October 10. Head Coach Mike McCarthy said Monday that the receiver completed a workout Friday and could do more Tuesday and Wednesday. That's progress, but it isn't a promise he'll be catching passes Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.

For a receiver who arrived from the Indianapolis Colts in March, the first season in Pittsburgh has been a frustrating introduction. Pittman has played three games, caught seven passes for 89 yards and spent more time rehabbing than developing chemistry with Aaron Rodgers. The Steelers brought him in to give Rodgers another dependable option alongside DK Metcalf. That partnership has barely had a chance to exist.

During a recent discussion, 93.7 The Fan's Jeff Hathhorn cautioned against reading too much into the early rehabilitation updates.

“I mean, when we talked to him last Monday, he had started jogging on the field. Mike McCarthy talked yesterday of a workout that he went through. You know, it's going to take some time,” Hathhorn said.

It's a distinction Pittsburgh's fan base probably doesn't want to hear. Jogging is encouraging when a foot has kept somebody out for weeks, but receivers aren't paid to jog. They explode off the line, plant to cut, accelerate again and absorb contact while securing the football. Repeating those movements at NFL speed is a different demand from completing an individual workout.

And then there's Rodgers. A receiver can be physically cleared without immediately knowing how the quarterback wants a route adjusted against a particular coverage. Timing routes require the passer to trust the target's depth, leverage and break point before the ball comes out. Pittman's three appearances haven't given the pair many opportunities to build that connection.

Hathhorn believes an aggressive rehabilitation progression might produce a return in a couple of weeks, although he wasn't presenting that as a timetable from the organization.

“Like he'd have to work up to physically being ready. Then it's the timing aspect of it. I would say, man, a couple of weeks if he was aggressive in what he's doing over the next, you know, the next 10 days or so. So I don't think it's anything, I mean, you never know with these things because nobody saw his workouts, but we haven't seen him out there,” Hathhorn said.

Pittman is eligible to be activated from injured reserve for Sunday's game, having missed the mandatory four contests. Eligibility and readiness are separate questions. As of Monday's update, Pittsburgh hadn't opened his 21-day practice window, and McCarthy wouldn't project whether the veteran could play against Cincinnati. More work this week should offer a clearer indication, not necessarily a firm date.

The receiver himself hasn't offered one either. Pittman said last week that he'd like to return as soon as possible but couldn't promise when. He described a gradual running program, alternating the treadmill and work outside, while emphasizing that he wouldn't help the team by returning before he could be effective. His foot issues have already interrupted far more of his season than anyone expected.

That leaves Pittsburgh trying to win a division race with a receiving group still short on healthy experience. Roman Wilson remains on injured reserve with a finger injury and isn't eligible to return until after the Bengals game. Rookie Germie Bernard has taken on a larger role, while Pittsburgh has leaned more heavily on two-tight-end formations. Those adjustments have kept the offense functioning without fixing its passing consistency.

Metcalf, meanwhile, caught one pass for four yards against Cleveland. Pittsburgh can run the ball, and its defense has been excellent lately, but sooner or later Rodgers will need receivers who can separate on third down and handle coverage adjustments without hesitation. Pittman's reliability on shorter and intermediate routes was supposed to provide exactly that.

The timing adds another layer. The Steelers are 6-2, and the Bengals enter Sunday with the same record. First place in the AFC North is on the line, and Pittsburgh's latest receiver update still offers no guarantee of help for the matchup. The organization also reaches Tuesday's trade deadline with a decision about whether its current depth is enough.

Steelers Can't Build Their Passing Plan Around A Guess

McCarthy should welcome every positive workout. He also can't plan as if Pittman will be ready just because the calendar says he can return. Pittsburgh has a legitimate chance to compete for the division, and betting the passing game on a recovery date nobody can confirm would be an unnecessary gamble.

Rodgers needs a receiver who can do more than suit up. He needs one who can cut without hesitation, recognize the same coverage adjustments and provide the dependable hands that made Pittman valuable in Indianapolis. The Steelers can take their time with the medical process while acknowledging the urgency of finding answers elsewhere.

Pittman is moving again. That's the encouraging part. How soon he can move like an NFL receiver, with Rodgers expecting him in exactly the right spot, remains the question Pittsburgh hasn't answered.

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