Steelers' Michael Pittman Jr Makes Encouraging Admission About Return Before Bengals Matchup

The Pittsburgh Steelers stood pat at the trade deadline instead of adding a receiver, and one of the reasons was the hope that help would come from within. That help may be close. Michael Pittman Jr. has been on injured reserve with a foot injury since early October, but the veteran receiver said Thursday that he feels ready to go and has made his case to the team ahead of Sunday night's first-place showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Pittman spoke after Thursday's practice at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex and gave his most encouraging update yet. He told Steelers Now's Brendan Howe that his foot is trending in the right direction and that he let the coaching staff know where he stands.

"It feels good, and today was probably my best day yet. Yesterday was good, today was even better, so definitely trending the right way. … I would love the opportunity to play this week, but that's out of my control. I definitely let them know today that I thought it was good," Pittman said.

That is a big change from where things stood just a week ago. During the bye week, Pittman would not commit to any timeline for his return. He said then that he had never dealt with this kind of foot injury before and did not know how it was supposed to feel, according to Steelers.com.

"No, there's no time frame. I can't go out there if I'm not effective. So, only time will tell," Pittman said.

Steelers Still Have To Make The Call On Michael Pittman Jr.

Pittman feeling ready and Pittman playing on Sunday are two different things. He has not yet been officially designated to return from injured reserve. He does not appear on the Steelers' official Week 10 practice report, which lists defensive tackle Derrick Harmon as the only player designated for return so far. On Thursday, Pittman warmed up with the team and then worked off to the side with the other players on injured reserve.

For Pittman to face the Bengals, the Steelers would need to open his practice window and then activate him to the 53-man roster before the game. Head Coach Mike McCarthy said earlier this week that Pittman had completed a workout and could do more as the week went on, but the team has not committed to a date. SteelerNation looked at why Pittman's return could still face an uncertain stretch on Tuesday.

It has been a frustrating first season in Pittsburgh for Pittman. The Steelers acquired him from the Indianapolis Colts in March to give Aaron Rodgers a reliable target alongside DK Metcalf. Instead, he has played in just three games, catching seven passes for 89 yards, and has missed the last four games on injured reserve. Pittman admitted Thursday that the lost time started long before the foot injury.

"Once we get going — we've gotta put some stuff on tape — we had a slow start, and I recognize that. That all comes with time and trust and stuff like that. It really hurt me missing all of training camp, really. I think I was out there for, like, a week. But I really felt like we were taking the next step, and then that's when my foot happened," Pittman said.

The timing of his return matters for an offense that is still searching for consistency. Metcalf said Thursday that the offense needs to score every time it gets the ball, and the red zone has been a problem all season. Pittman is a big-bodied receiver who can win in traffic and in tight spaces, the kind of target that can help near the goal line. Getting him back would also take some attention away from Metcalf.

The Steelers did not add a receiver before Tuesday's trade deadline, which put even more weight on getting Pittman and Roman Wilson healthy. Pittman was on the field for the first meeting with Cincinnati, a 30-27 win in Week 3, and Wilson scored the opening touchdown in that game.

Whether Pittman plays Sunday or waits another week, the update is the best news the receiver room has had in a month. The decision now belongs to the Steelers, and the next injury report will show whether they plan to open his window before the trip to Cincinnati.

This story was produced with the help of AI and reviewed by SteelerNation editors.

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