INDIANAPOLIS — Colts rookie receiver Michael Pittman Jr. is sidelined indefinitely after having unexpected surgery Sunday night to deal with compartment leg syndrome in his calf, coach Frank Reich said Monday.
Pittman Jr., who was taken in the second round of this year’s draft, suffered what was initially called a lower leg injury in the second quarter of Sunday’s game against the New York Jets. He returned to the game in the second half and finished with three catches for 26 yards.
“He had the injury, whatever happens when you get that, but the symptoms don’t crop up until later,” Reich said. “Later (Sunday) the symptoms started cropping up in a more severe nature and (Pittman Jr.) called the trainer, the trainer called the doctors, they met right away and determined you have to relieve the pressure.”
Compartment syndrome is caused when there’s increased pressure in at least one of the compartments of the lower leg. The pressure in the lower leg compresses against different areas, including nerves, arteries and veins.
The Colts are going to be overly cautious with Pittman Jr.’s return because Reich mentioned that Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni suffered an infection after surgery when he also dealt with compartment leg syndrome.
“(The infection) made it a whole lot worse,” Reich said.
Pittman Jr. is the latest Colts receiver to go down with an injury. The Colts announced Monday that second-year receiver Parris Campbell will have surgery on his left knee. The team isn’t ready to say his season is over, but like with Pittman Jr., there isn’t a timetable on his return. Campbell suffered his knee injury in the first half of the Colts’ Week 2 game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Marcus Johnson and rookie Dezmon Patmon are two options to replace Pittman Jr. Johnson is on the practice squad and Patmon has been on the inactive list for the first three games of the season.