The Indianapolis Colts haven’t had a better wide receiver in the past three seasons. Michael Pittman Jr. was the second-round pick of the Colts in 2020 and has proved his worth every season. While he has established his name in the NFL with his impressive stats, not many know that he comes from a family who have sports running in their blood.

The wide receiver gets his inspiration and drive for the sport from his father, who is a former Super Bowl champion. While Pittman Jrs.’ initial views on his career contrasted with his father’s, the Colts’ star player has now made peace with the decision that pointed him to his current success.

Michael Pittman Sr. won the SB XXXVII with the Buccaneers

When we take a look at Michael Pittman Sr.’s career in football it’s easy to see where the son gets his athletic genes from. The former running back was drafted during the 1998 NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals. He further went on to play with the Denver Broncos and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As the running back, Pittman Sr. helped Tampa Bay win the XXXVII edition of the Super Bowl.

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Pittman Sr.’s wife is Kristen Randall, with whom he has five children. Two of their sons, Pittman Jr. and Mycah, have followed in their father’s footsteps. We already know about  Pittman Jr.’s successful hold in the Colts, and Mycah plays as the WR for the Utah Utes.

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Prior to officially starting his career with the Colts, Pittman Jr. planned on becoming a running back like his father, but the senior Pittman had different plans for him.

Pittman Sr. advised his son to switch to WR

The junior Pittman always wanted to become a running back like his father, as per ESPN. However, the experienced NFL player had different thoughts and encouraged his son to pursue the receiving position instead. Reportedly, his son wasn’t thrilled about the idea initially.

“After the game [I told] him, ‘Son, you’re not going to be a running back in the future. You’re just not going to be,'” Michael Pittman Sr. told ESPN, “He got pretty pissed off at me. He felt like I didn’t believe in his ability. It wasn’t that. I just saw the future before he could.”

But Pittman Sr. persisted in his efforts and made sure that his son was under the right guidance. Former NFL wide receiver Mike Sherrard coached Pittman Jr. in high school, as told to ESPN. And judging by the WR’s performance in the Colts, it seems like the decision was the right one.

With the shuffling of the teams to happen soon, it will be interesting to see if Pittman Jr. continues in Indianapolis or if he will find a new home before the 2024 season. Whichever it would be, one can rest assured that there’s more to come from the Pittman Sr.’s wide receiver son.

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