Entering the final year of his current contract, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton hopes to get an extension with the team so that he can finish out his career with the organization that drafted him.
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Though the talks of a potential extension have been preliminary up to this point with the Colts, Hilton has made it clear he wants to continue playing for the horseshoe until his number is called for retirement.
“I mean I want to be a Colt for life, but it takes two sides. It is up to Mr. (Jim) Irsay and Chris (Ballard) to get the job done,” Hilton told reporters Wednesday. “So for me, I want to be a Colt. So, you heard it from me.”
Since being drafted in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft, Hilton has been one of the most underrated wide receivers in the league. He has the fifth-most receiving yards (8.598) in the NFL since the 2012 season—only Julio Jones, Antonio Brown, Demaryius Thomas and DeAndre Hopkins have more.
He’s also 11th in receiving yards per game (72.9) and 12th in receiving touchdowns (45) among wide receivers.
It has been a productive career for Hilton, more than some realize. But he has a feeling that if and when he gets a new contract, that will be it for the Ghost.
“I mean whatever I sign for in my next contract, that’ll be when I hang it up. Whether it’s two years, three years, four years – whatever it is,” Hilton said. “Whatever I sign for in my next contract, that’ll be it for me.”
Hilton is still the unquestioned leader in the wide receiver room and even in the passing offense. The entire aspect of the offense runs through him. But the injuries he’s had to play through and deal with are likely what gives the Colts pause on an extension at this point.
That said, Hilton has proven to be an extremely productive asset when healthy and if he can prove to do so in 2020, he should see another contract come his way.
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