Michael Pittman Jr Highlights the Similarities Between Flying a Plane & Playing Pro Football: “Everything is Like Running a Play”

Piloting a flight of any magnitude is often regarded as a grave undertaking that requires a serious amount of both information and dedication, but for the star wide receiver of the Indianapolis Colts, Michael Pittman, it’s just as easy as running a play on Sunday afternoons. Well, at least that’s what he claimed while speaking with the renowned Kay Adams during his team’s most recent day of training camp. 

The self-titled host of the Up and Adams Show on FanDuel TV made sure to begin their interview by congratulating Pittman, who is currently awaiting the arrival of his third child. When asked what the ideal date of birth would be for him, he jokingly noted, “those three days off that we get at the end of camp.”

Unfortunately, that means putting a temporary pause on obtaining his piloting license. “That was an offseason quest,” he explained. “It’s been put on hold for now.” The 27-year-old credits his little brother, Micah, for sparking his interest in aviation. 

His brother just so happens to be a private flight instructor, and the two of them currently run a flight school located in Ogden, Indiana. Suffice to say, the familial ties certainly helped, but what really drew Pittman in was the realization that “a lot of it relates to football.”

“In aviation, everything is like running a play. The landing, maneuver, the traffic pattern, everything is like a schedule play. You do this, this, and that, to execute the play, and there’s no creativity in it.”

The 2025 regular season will be the sixth one of Pittman’s professional career, and it’s shaping up to be a historic one for both him and the Colts. In fact, Adams had the pleasure of being the first to inform him of the fact that he is just 23 catches away from entering the top five list for most career catches in the history of the Colts’ franchise. 

After hearing the other names that would be ahead of him on the list, the majority of which are NFL Hall of Famers, the former second-round draft pick couldn’t help but to be thankful for the success that he has enjoyed throughout his career so far. 

“It’s just awesome to be in a pool with those guys and I’ve got a lot of catching up to do to get close to them. I’ve just got to keep on working every single day and just keep getting better and the rest of it will take care of itself.”

 Pittman is choosing to simply trust the process ahead of what will be the second-to-last year on his current contract. He’s been one of the few consistent faces in Indianapolis throughout the past several seasons, and while he figures to receive another extension in the near future, he’ll still need to stand out this season. 

Despite playing in 16 games, his 2024 receiving totals were the second-lowest of his career. Mix in some uncertainty at the quarterback position, and it’s safe to say that he’s facing quite a bit of turbulence right now. 

Then again, if there was ever a player who was capable of navigating the skies and landing safely, it’s likely Pittman.