T.Y. Hilton on Earning Final Colts Contract: ‘It Takes Two Sides’

Four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver T.Y. Hilton vows he wants “to be a Colt for life” as he enters a contract year in 2020. And the 30-year-old pass catcher says with certainty that his next contract will be the last of his career.

INDIANAPOLIS — Consider T.Y. Hilton’s position stated rather succinctly.

Entering a contract year in 2020, the Indianapolis Colts four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver made clear on Wednesday his intention of earning a new contract that he says will be the last of his career.

“I mean I want to be a Colt for life, but it takes two sides,” Hilton said in a Zoom video conference call. “It is up to (owner) Mr. (Jim) Irsay and (general manager) Chris (Ballard) to get the job done. So for me, I want to be a Colt. So, you heard it from me.”

Hilton, 30, is set to be paid $14.52 million this season in the final year of a five-year, $65-million extension. There’s no question his value to the Colts, who are 1-9 without him since he was a 2012 third-round selection. What could complicate contract talks is the fact that Hilton missed six games with a calf injury and had a career-low 50 receptions for 501 yards and five TDs. He also missed two games with low and high sprains of the same ankle in 2018, but showed his toughness by playing half a season in pain.

Whatever happens, the ninth-year pro assured his next contract will be his last.

“I mean whatever I sign for in my next contract, that’ll be when I hang it up,” Hilton said. “Whether it’s two years, three years, four years – whatever it is. Whatever I sign for in my next contract, that’ll be it for me.”

The 13th wide receiver selected in 2012 has more than proven his worth as one of the NFL’s speediest deep threats with 552 receptions for 8,598 yards and 45 TDs. His best season in terms of catches and yards was in 2016, when he had 91 receptions for 1,448 yards with five TDs. He’s caught at least four touchdown passes each year.

His career-low numbers of a year ago, which included a long reception of 35 yards and an 11.1-yard-average per catch, are motivation for this season. His career average per catch is 15.6, and his previous low for a longest catch in a season was 63 yards.

Because of his recent injury history, does he have to stay healthy and put up big numbers again to prove himself worthy of a new contract?

“I mean my work speaks for itself,” he said. “When I’m out there, I know what I can do. But these last two years I’ve been a little banged up so this year if they want me to prove it, I’ll prove it. But I think everybody would want me here. So, I want to be here.”

He says he’s been healthy since late last year and has been working out twice a day this offseason.

“The motivation is I kind of let my teammates down last year by being hurt, being injured – things you really can’t control,” he said. “It’s not like you are playing Madden and can cut injuries off. My main thing now is just getting my body back where it is, which I told you at the end of the season I’ll be 100 percent so just staying on top of my game. I am working out twice a day so I don’t let my teammates down. I’m out there just doing what I am doing and just helping them out the best way I can. My motivation is to get back where I was, and that’s being on top of the game.”

In discussing that motivation, he later added, “When it’s time for us to get back out there, everybody’s going to feel me.”

Hilton said he had a few talks with the Colts before the coronavirus pandemic impacted the offseason. NFL facilities have been closed indefinitely.

When players are permitted to return and Hilton starts playing again, he looks forward to contract talks progressing.

“Whenever things pick back up, I’m pretty sure hopefully we could get something done,” he said. “If not, then like I said, it’s up to Mr. Irsay and Chris. I mean I want to be here. So it is what it is.”

(Phillip B. Wilson has covered the Indianapolis Colts for more than two decades and authored the 2013 book 100 Things Colts Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. He’s on Twitter @pwilson24, on Facebook at @allcoltswithphilb and @100thingscoltsfans, and his email is phillipbwilson24@yahoo.com.)