Colts expect WR Keenan Allen to play in season opener and are hopeful Alec Pierce also returns

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts expect receiver Keenan Allen to play in the season opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 13 despite his recent arrest and remain hopeful injured receiver Alec Pierce is also available.

Allen was arrested early Sunday morning on drunken driving charges, and general manager Chris Ballard told reporters Tuesday the team dealt with the incident internally. He did not say specifically what punishment, if any, had been applied.

"He’ll play, yes," Ballard said, noting the team does offer players rideshare services. “Fourteen years in the league, no issues, OK? Decorated career, decorated teammate. You know our relationship with Philip Rivers — I know Philip holds him in extremely high regard and (coach) Shane (Steichen) was with him. After you meet his mom and dad, who are amazing people, we feel good about who he is. We unequivocally feel good about who Keenan Allen is."

Allen has not spoken publicly since he was released from custody Sunday afternoon. He is facing preliminary misdemeanor charges of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated — endangering a person.

The arrest could lead to a league-imposed suspension though this is the first time in Allen's 14-year pro career he's been cited in a legal matter. He has a court date set for Sept. 16.

Allen was reunited with Steichen when he signed with the Colts on Aug. 18. The 34-year-old Allen is expected to provide a veteran presence as Indy's No. 3 receiver with Pierce and Josh Downs holding the top two spots.

The six-time Pro Bowler played 12 of his first 13 NFL seasons for the Chargers, working with Steichen there for his first seven NFL seasons. In November, Allen surpassed Hall of Famer Antonio Gates as the franchise's career reception leader with No. 956. He spent 2024 with the Chicago Bears before returning to the Chargers last year.

Allen's career total of 1,055 receptions rank 13th on the league's career list, and he begins this season needing 16 catches to pass Colts receivers coach Reggie Wayne for 11th. Among active players, Allen ranks fifth in yards receiving (12,051) and seventh in TD catches (70).

“I'm not going to comment on what happened,” Ballard said Tuesday. “But what I am going to tell you is, you know, good people make mistakes and he's a tremendous human being. Give him some grace, and he'll work through the process of the legal system.”

He added: “I think over time, he will prove to y'all in this city of who he is, and I think he'll do that in a short amount of time.”

Pierce worked out with the team Tuesday after being activated from the physically unable to perform list late last week. He missed all of training camp as he rehabbed from surgery in March for an injured left ankle.

That gives him nearly two weeks to ramp up his activity before the opener.

Will that give him enough time to get into game shape?

“It’s good to have him back out there, got a good day of work today,” Ballard said. “We’ll see going forward, but we’re hopeful. We’ll see how it ends up landing.”

Pierce had platelet-rich plasma injections in January and when that didn't help with the pain, he opted for surgery after signing his four-year, $114 million contract extension.

Last season, Pierce had 47 receptions and 1,003 yards, both career highs, and six touchdowns in 2025. He's led all NFL qualifiers in yards per catch each of the past two seasons.

Steichen is not scheduled to speak with reporters until Thursday, and Ballard deferred to his coach when asked which quarterback, Anthony Richardson or Riley Leonard, would be No. 2 on the depth chart behind incumbent starter Daniel Jones.

The competition remained close throughout camp and the preseason with Richardson and Leonard.

But Ballard insisted Richardson would remain with the Colts, for now, despite his earlier request to be traded. Richardson was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 draft and has dealt with a rash of injuries as well as accuracy problems throughout his career.

“We forget how young he is sometimes,” Ballard said. “I'm really proud of his growth, really proud of his growth. I thought there was a little bit of a rough start against New England, you know, with the turnovers. But there were two times in camp that I said ‘OK, he’s really starting to show some poise — the two-minute (drive) against New England and then during the Atlanta scrimmage he had a tremendous two-minute also. So it's been fun to watch Anthony's growth.”

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

FILE - Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (14) runs a route as Houston Texans safety K'Von Wallace (38) defends during an NFL football game Jan. 4, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Maria Lysaker, File)

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Keenan Allen (10) is tackled by Detroit Lions cornerback Roger McCreary (21) during the first half of a preseason NFL football game in Indianapolis, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Keenan Allen (10) is tackled by Detroit Lions cornerback Roger McCreary (21) during the first half of a preseason NFL football game in Indianapolis, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

Rain fell across parts of Texas and Louisiana on Tuesday as Tropical Storm Edouard moved toward the Gulf Coast, bringing the possibility of flooding as it was expected to strengthen significantly and possibly reach hurricane force, the National Hurricane Center warned.

Forecasters expected the storm to to make landfall in Texas on Tuesday and then rapidly weaken. In the meantime, several storms were brewing in the Pacific Ocean, including Lowell, which reached hurricane strength Tuesday morning.

Edouard was about 25 miles (35 kilometers) southeast of the Texas coastal city of Port Arthur, near the Louisiana border and close to the area where it was expected to make landfall. Maximum sustained winds were at 50 mph (85 kph).

The hurricane center said Edouard was expected to dump 3 to 6 inches (8 to 15 centimeters) of rain along the Texas coast through east-central Texas, but some areas could see up to 9 inches (23 centimeters). Southwestern Louisiana was expected to see lesser amounts.

“That rainfall could produce some flash flooding and river flooding,” said Brad Reinhart, a senior hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the biggest problem expected from the storm is flooding.

“This is our first big storm of the season, and I’ll tell you, Texas is prepared,” Orlando Alanis of the Texas Division of Emergency Management said during a news conference.

Crews worked Monday to clear dry vegetation that could ignite from a lightning strike and cause fast-spreading fires, Abbott said.

In Cameron, Louisiana, the winds had picked up and rain was coming through on and off Tuesday morning, said Connor Salvador, who owns an RV park there near the coast. “Nothing too crazy yet,” he said.

He said while there could be a “little bit” of flooding if they get a lot of rain, he wasn't too worried about Edouard.

“We’re pretty used to all these types of storms that come through,” he said.

Newly formed Hurricane Lowell in the Pacific Ocean was centered about 575 miles (925 kilometers) southeast of Hilo, Hawaii, on Tuesday morning. The storm’s maximum sustained winds had increased to 80 mph (130 kph). Forecasters said the hurricane was expected to remain several hundred miles away from Hawaii for the next several days at least, but swells from Lowell were likely to impact parts of the islands beginning Wednesday.

“This hurricane is likely to increase the surf and make for dangerous beach conditions and marine conditions for any boaters near the Hawaiian islands over the next few days,” said Andrew Hagan, a forecaster with the National Hurricane Center.

Tropical Storm Marie formed in the Pacific Ocean early Tuesday well offshore of southwest Mexico and wasn’t threatening land, the center said. The storm was about 400 miles (643 kilometers) southwest of Manzanillo with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (72 kph) and was moving northwest. Forecasters said Marie was gradually strengthening and was expected to become a hurricane by Wednesday night.

Elsewhere in the Pacific, Karina became a hurricane Sunday, fueled by warm waters far from any shore. It strengthened Monday into a powerful Category 4 storm but forecasters said Tuesday that it was expected to weaken. Forecasters said the storm centered 1,280 miles (2,059 kilometers) west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula of Mexico carried maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (222 kph) but wasn't threatening land.

Meanwhile, the remnants of Tropical Storm Dolly brought rain and thunderstorms to parts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, the Turks & Caicos, and the Bahamas, the hurricane center said.

Associated Press journalist Julie Walker in New York contributed to this report.

Motorists drive by Texas Department of Transportation signs on I-610 as Tropical Storm Edouard approaches in Houston, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Dark clouds hand low over the horizon as Tropical Storm Edouard makes its way towards landfall in Galveston, Texas, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Motorists drive by Texas Department of Transportation signs on I-610 as Tropical Storm Edouard approaches in Houston, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via AP)

This satellite image provided by NOAA shows Tropical Storm Edouard over the Gulf of Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026. (NOAA via AP)

This satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration taken shows Tropical Storm Edouard heading toward the Gulf Coast, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026. (NOAA via AP)

This satellite image released by NOAA shows Tropical Storm Marie in the North Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, Sept.1, 2026 . (NOAA via AP)

This satellite image released by NOAA shows Hurricane Karina strengthening off the southern tip of Baja California on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (NOAA via AP)

This satellite image released by NOAA shows Tropical Storm Lowell over the Pacific Ocean, Monday, Aug. 31, 2026. (NOAA via AP)

This satellite image released by NOAA shows Potential Tropical Cyclone Five forming over the Gulf of Mexico on Monday, Aug. 31, 2026. (NOAA via AP)