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Indianapolis Colts<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>wide receiver Alec Pierce<\/a> took the biggest step toward possibly playing in the Colts’ Week 1 home game versus the Baltimore Ravens<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>on Sept. 13, when it was learned<\/a> earlier this week that he had been activated off the physically unable to perform list.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Pierce spent springtime workouts and a portion of the summer recovering from ankle surgery he underwent in March. On Thursday, he made it known he doesn’t want to be a spectator for the matchup against Baltimore.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n “Yeah, Week 1 is the goal,”\u00a0<\/span>Pierce acknowledged, per Myles Simmons<\/a> of Pro Football Talk. “[J]ust first time being back out here, wearing the helmet, playing with the other NFL<\/a> players, right? So, it\u2019s \u2014 you got to knock a little bit of rust off, but been working in [physical therapy], been working kind of off and on with the trainers. They\u2019ve been doing a good job preparing me, getting me ready. So, just a little different once you get back out here, get timing from [quarterback Daniel Jones] and these other NFL arms.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Pierce previously hoped getting a platelet-rich plasma injection would allow him to avoid surgery. He and the Colts\u00a0agreed to<\/a>\u00a0a four-year, $116M contract back in March, and he is on pace to serve as the club’s WR1 after Indianapolis traded<\/a> Michael Pittman Jr. to the\u00a0<\/span>Pittsburgh Steelers<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Pierce led the Colts last season with 1,003 receiving yards. Over 15 games, he tallied 47 receptions and six touchdown catches.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Pierce’s offseason program and training camp differed from those experienced by his teammates through this week. He credited those in the Colts’ locker room for ensuring he didn’t get too down while working to return to full fitness.\u00a0<\/p>\n “You just got to find ways to try and stay in it because you\u2019re going to be in those meetings and stuff,” Pierce added. “It\u2019s good to be around the guys. They kind of \u2014 they keep your spirits up and stuff because sitting and watching film and watching walk-through, watching practice, like it gets a little monotonous. You want to be out there. You want to be out there helping the team, making plays with the team, working with your brothers. But the guys have been great. They\u2019ve been checking in with me. Other than just not being out there on the field, everything\u2019s been the same.”<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n If Pierce can’t go against the Ravens, he will look to get cleared for the Week 2 “Sunday Night Football” game at the\u00a0<\/span>Kansas City Chiefs<\/a> on Sept. 20.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nAlec Pierce has one goal in mind at this stage of his recovery<\/h2>\n
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How Alec Pierce stayed focused despite not being fully cleared<\/h2>\n
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