Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton started training camp on the non-football injury list (NFI) due to a hamstring injury suffered while working out on his own. The veteran wideout doesn’t see it being a problem.
Even though soft tissue injuries at this time of the preseason are concerning, Hilton doesn’t believe it will have any lingering impact on his ability to get back on the field by the time the Colts are ready to open the regular season.
“No, it’s not going to be a problem. I’m feeling real good. Feeling better, feel like myself – probably have got a couple more days, another week,” Hilton told reporters Monday. “They are not going to rush me. They aren’t going to want me out there anytime soon. So I should be in the clear pretty soon. I’m feeling good. It’s up to me and them, the training staff, and we will go from there.”
As long as Hilton doesn’t rush back from the injury, the expectation would be that it won’t be an issue upon return. But we have seen a number of players try to come back too soon from soft tissue injuries during the preseason and it have a lasting impact on getting their season going.
Throughout the 2019 season, Hilton dealt with these kinds of injuries. He missed one game with a groin injury early in the season and another five games with a calf injury that nearly ended his season right there.
But Hilton has had a strong track record of being on the field even if that means fighting through the pain. In eight seasons, the 30-year-old wideout has missed just 10 games.
Soft tissue injuries at this point in the preseason shouldn’t be taken lightly so this will certainly be a situation to monitor in the coming weeks.