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Colts open TE Will Mallory’s 21‑day window to return from injured reserve

The Indianapolis Colts on 2026-10-07 opened tight end Will Mallory’s 21‑day injured‑reserve window, allowing him to begin practicing and be activated at any point through 2026-10-28. Mallory was a full participant at the Colts’ Oct. 7 practice; coach Shane Steichen said the team will evaluate him this week before deciding on activation ahead of the Oct. 11 game at Pittsburgh.

BUSINESSINDY BRIEFBy BusinessIndy Editorial StaffCommentsPublished October 7, 2026 at 4:18 PM EDT

AI-generated illustration of the topic: Colts open TE Will Mallory’s 21‑day window to return from injured reserve — AI illustration · Not a photograph of the reported event.

The Indianapolis Colts announced on 2026-10-07 that they opened tight end Will Mallory’s 21‑day window to return from injured reserve. The team said Mallory was a full participant in the club’s Oct. 7 practice and that he can begin practicing and be activated at any point in the next three weeks, through 2026-10-28. Head coach Shane Steichen said the staff will evaluate Mallory this week before deciding whether he could come off injured reserve ahead of the Colts’ Sunday, Oct. 11 game at Acrisure Stadium against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Colts’ Oct. 7 practice report also notes Mallory was placed on injured reserve in late August with a thumb injury and that he caught six passes for 80 yards in the preseason opener against the New England Patriots. The report listed center Tanor Bortolini (ankle), linebackers Jaylon Carlies (ribs) and Akeem Davis‑Gaither (knee), wide receiver Ashton Dulin (hamstring) and defensive end Arden Key (hamstring) as nonparticipants; Keenan Allen was a limited participant and Steichen said Key will miss “some time.”

WHY IT MATTERS

What changed and who this affects: Opening Mallory’s 21‑day window means, according to the Colts, he is eligible to resume team practice and the club can activate him from injured reserve at any point during that period (through 2026-10-28). That creates a short timeframe for the coaching and medical staff to clear him for game action and decide whether he will be available for the Oct. 11 game at Pittsburgh.

How the process works, step by step: first, the team allowed Mallory to begin practicing by opening the 21‑day window on 2026-10-07. Next, the Colts will evaluate his status in practice sessions this week — head coach Shane Steichen said the staff would “see how the week goes” before making an activation decision. If the team activates him before Sunday’s game, Mallory would be eligible to play; if not, the window remains open for activation at any later point within the three weeks ending 2026-10-28.

What to watch next: Colts practice reports and any roster transaction announcements later in the week for a clearance or activation decision ahead of the Oct. 11 game, and whether Mallory is activated before the 21‑day window closes on 2026-10-28. All items above are reported by the Indianapolis Colts.

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