The Grove Report

From Oxford to the Super Bowl: Ole Miss' Mike Hilton Finds Fit with Cincinnati Bengals

Mike Hilton's career as a Rebel has led him to an appearance in the Super Bowl with the Bengals on Sunday.

John Macon Gillespie

Mike Hilton's winding career road has led him to the Super Bowl, and that road passed through Oxford, Mississippi.

Hilton's career began at Sandy Creek High School in Tyrone, Georgia, where he helped lead his team to a 12-1 record and the state playoffs as a senior. He was named honorable mention Class AAA All-State by the Georgia Sports Writers Association and played safety as a junior where he broke the school record with nine interceptions.

Those efforts in high school led him to sign with Ole Miss entering the 2012 season. The Rebels were fresh off a 2-10 campaign that saw the firing of head coach Houston Nutt in 2011 and the hiring of Hugh Freeze, and Hilton became immediately impactful in Oxford.

The defensive back recorded 33 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, 2.0 sacks, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles in 2012 where he earned first letter. His college debut came against UTEP on Sept. 8 of that season, and he recorded his first two collegiate tackles against No. 12 Texas the following week.

Fast forward through years where Hilton grew as a player, and Ole Miss grew as a program, and you reach the 2015 season. That spring, Hilton became the 25th player to receive the Chucky Mullins Courage Award and wore Mullins’ No. 38 jersey in 2015. With Hilton sporting this honor, Ole Miss reached the Sugar Bowl to cap off that season with a win over Oklahoma State.

In short, Hilton was a star on one of the Rebels' most successful teams in program history.

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Despite his success in Oxford, Hilton wasn't selected in the NFL Draft following his senior season, instead signing as an undrafted free agent with the Jaguars in 2016. Just like in college, however, that didn't deter Hilton, even as he moved from franchise to franchise in the NFL.

Hilton was a part of the Pittsburgh Steelers roster from 2016-2020, but he joined the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021 where he has been a vital part of the team's run to the Super Bowl.

Hilton has recorded two interceptions and 66 total tackles for the Bengals in the 2021-22 season along with forcing a fumble.

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Hilton and the Bengals will face the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl on Sunday. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. CT on NBC.

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John Macon Gillespie
JOHN MACON GILLESPIE

John Macon Gillespie is the publisher of The Grove Report and has experience on the Ole Miss beat spanning five years.

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