Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin often says, “Two is a pattern.”
That’s part of why it was so baffling to see Colts receiver Adonai Mitchell fumble out of the end zone when he prematurely celebrated a touchdown in Sunday’s eventual loss to the Rams.
It wasn’t even a full calendar year ago when running back Jonathan Taylor did something eerily similar, dropping the ball in celebration on a long would-be touchdown. Instead of a 41-yard run for a score, replay showed it was instead a 40-yard run with a fumble out of the end zone for a touchback.
For Mitchell, instead of a 76-yard touchdown, he had a 75-yard catch and fumble for a touchback.
Mitchell was visibly frustrated for the rest of the game after making his mistake, telling reporters after the contest that it was “unacceptable.”
But head coach Shane Steichen has been in charge for the last two seasons. How did he view Mitchell’s fumble?
“It’s hard to explain in that situation, but we have a lot of faith in ‘AD’ and this is a bump in the road for him,” Steichen said in his postgame press conference. “He’s going to bounce back, and we have a lot of confidence in his abilities.”
Steichen added that it is “a point of emphasis” to not make mistakes with the ball.
“I have to do a better job of emphasizing it more,” Steichen said. “It starts with me.”
In the moment in the game, Steichen went to Mitchell and told him to “hang in there” because the team needed him. That’s going to be the case going forward, too, as the Colts look to bounce back from their first loss of the season against the Raiders in Week 5.
“It’s all part of his process and his journey,” Steichen said. “Everyone’s journey is different. He’s got a lot of ability in his body, so we have to get through it this week and get ready to go for Vegas next week.”
A second-round pick in the 2024 draft, Mitchell has seven receptions for 137 yards so far this season. He caught 23 passes for 312 yards as a rookie.
The fumble out of the end zone would have been his first career touchdown.
