Michael Pittman Jr. had to fly 28 hours to get back to Pittsburgh after Colts trade to Steelers

Michael Pittman Jr. got traded from the Indianapolis Colts to the Pittsburgh Steelers this week.

Pittman was a long way from home when the deal went down, though -- and he cut his vacation six days short to get to Pittsburgh and meet his new organization.

That's because Pittman was in Uganda, the African country.

He detailed his travel back when he spoke with reporters on Friday, and he said it was a 28-hour trip.

Pittman started in Uganda, then flew to Ethiopia, then Azerbaijan, then New York City and finally into Pittsburgh.

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The timing may not have worked out great, but Pittman now has a fresh start in the NFL to show how good he can be.

Pittman had been a quality wideout for the Colts, but they chose to sign Alec Pierce to a four-year, $116 million contract to prevent him from reaching free agency. With that much money devoted to Pierce, Indy opted to trade Pittman away rather than pay him, too.

The Steelers did give Pittman a new contract after the trade -- which itself was cheap, involving just a sixth/seventh-round pick swap.

Clearly, Pittman wasn't expecting a move like this. He wouldn't have been so far away if he was.

But he'll get a chance to play for a storied organization in Pittsburgh, and with his skillset, he can make life better for whoever the Steelers' new QB is in 2026 -- and for DK Metcalf, lined up on the opposite side of the field in a newly improved WR tandem for the Steelers.

Pittman will have to find a trip back at some point so he can finish his vacation. In the meantime, he's ready to get to work in Pittsburgh.

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