Colts: TY Hilton’s comments on mentoring young WRs are special
By Jerry Trotta
Colts fans will love TY Hilton’s comments about helping develop the team’s young wideouts.
It’s taken significantly longer than expected, but Indianapolis Colts wide receiver TY Hilton has finally arrived to the 2020 NFL season, logging 12 receptions for 191 yards and two touchdowns over the last two games.
To put Hilton’s lengthy disappearing act into perspective, that yardage total is just three fewer than what he compiled from Weeks 4 to 11 combined. That lifeless stretch proves that GM Chris Ballard should think long and hard about whether he should re-sign him in the offseason, but fans can definitely appreciate the fact that he’s seemingly saved his best football for the playoff push.
What’s even more commendable? How important Hilton is approaching his mentoring of rookie Michael Pittman Jr. and Indianapolis’ other young wideouts. The four-time Pro Bowler’s latest comments about the impact Reggie Wayne had on him as a young player are guaranteed to leave fans speechless.
#Colts WR TY Hilton asked about mentoring rookie Michael Pittman Jr.: "Marvin did it for Reggie, Reggie did it for me, so it's only right I do it for Pitt and the rest of these guys coming up."
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 9, 2020
Love that answer.
(via @PatMcAfeeShow) pic.twitter.com/56IT7aNG0X
We’re obviously not jumping the gun and anointing Pittman as the next great Colts receiver, but we certainly wouldn’t rather anybody other than Hilton help him improve his craft.
After all, outside of 2020, Hilton has been the definition of consistent throughout his career, leading Indy in receiving for six straight seasons from 2013 to 2018 before injuries prevented him from reaching that feat last year.
However, the 31-year-old vet has always been a team-first player and it really makes you wonder if the strides Pittman has made since he returned from leg surgery earlier in the season can be credited to him. Since Week 8, the 2020 second-round pick has registered 21 receptions for 297 yards (59.4 per game) and one touchdown on 32 targets while playing 83.6% of the offensive snaps.
https://twitter.com/IndySportsOne/status/1335962467181146113
That isn’t taking any credit away from Frank Reich and the rest of the coaching staff, but these comments prove that Hilton is a prominent voice in WR meetings and is a consistent source of constructive criticism during games and practices.
The former third-round pick has accomplished so much with the Colts over the last nine seasons, but the professional manner in which he carries himself behind the scenes is part of what makes him such a favorite among the fan base.
