Legends are hard to find, but loyalty is even harder.
In 2022, former 10-year Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton was picked up by the Dallas Cowboys to help bolster their receiving corps as the postseason is on the horizon.
However, instead of backlash, most Colts fans seemed elated that “The Ghost” was able to snag a spot on a potential Super Bowl-contending team. With this in mind, it’s time to look back on an explosive decade for the veteran wideout, and how he captured the hearts and the spirit of Indianapolis in the process.
Drafted in 2012 in the third round out of Florida International, Hilton immediately made a statement in his rookie campaign, compiling 50 catches for 861 yards (17.2 avg.) and 7 total touchdowns. It was immediately clear that then-quarterback Andrew Luck had something special with this speedster, who could also run routes very well, all while being a mere 5’10” and 183 pounds.
From 2013 through 2016, Hilton would terrorize the NFL and cement himself as a true threat in the league. He would mark his first 1,000-yard season in 2013 (1,083) and for the next four consecutive seasons (2014-17), he would get Pro Bowl nods and even lead the NFL in receiving yards with 1,448 in 2016.
Even with instability in Luck's health through that stretch, Hilton still made it work with backups like Matt Hasselbeck and Jacoby Brissett. In Luck’s final year (2018), Hilton returned to his playmaking ways with 76 catches for 1,270 yards and another 6 touchdowns. This would help the Colts reach the divisional round of the playoffs where they’d ultimately fall to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in Frank Reich’s introductory year as the head coach.
After this, Hilton’s numbers would fluctuate from 2019-21, mostly due to the ever-revolving quarterback wheel that began, with Brissett and Brian Hoyer in 2019, Philip Rivers in 2020, and the inconsistent Carson Wentz in 2021. This resulted in Hilton dropping to career lows in receptions, yards, and targets.
It was assumed that once the Colts snagged quarterback Matt Ryan, who is partly known for throwing the deep ball, they’d also re-sign Hilton so that he could have a deep thrower, but also could have a possibility to retire in a Colts uniform.
Ultimately, the season started and this never happened. However, now as a Cowboy, Hilton made an immediate impact in a new uniform, securing a conversion that was much needed on 3rd-and-30 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is already using Hilton's speed as an advantage, and will likely continue to try to find him for big plays for the remainder of the year and through the playoffs.
With a studded career like The Ghost’s, it’s a must to display the gaudy numbers for his illustrious tenure. Through 11 years, he totals out at 144 games, 1,077 targets (third in Colts franchise history), 631 catches (third), 9,691 receiving yards (third), 53 touchdowns (fourth), a long catch of 87 yards (fourth), and 67.8 receiving yards per game (third).
It also needs to be mentioned that Hilton is third-most among many of the Colts’ all-time leaderboards because of two distinct Hall-of-Famers in front of him, Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison, proving that Hilton was about as consistent as you can be.
With the 2022 season wrapping up and the Cowboys firmly in the Super-Bowl conversation, it will be fun to watch Hilton and how he meshes with Prescott and the rest of the Cowboys team on their run for glory.
No Colts fan will willingly say they’re happy to not have Hilton, but every Colts fan will show respect to No. 13 (now No. 16) and will always remember the incredible moments, ridiculous plays, and the “T-Y, T-Y” touchdown dance that will never get old.
With New Year’s on the verge, let’s give a toast. This one is for you, Ghost.
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