Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton is going to miss the start of the season due to a neck injury. Colts head coach Frank Reich relayed the news to reporters on Sunday, per Jelani Scott of NFL.com. While it's unclear just how long the disc issue will keep Hilton out of the lineup, the silver lining is he's not expected to miss the entire season.
Hilton first experienced the issue on the trip to Detroit ahead of Friday's preseason finale. A more specific return timetable is expected to be announced in the coming days.
The 31-year-old decided to re-sign with Indianapolis in the offseason. He has spent his entire career with the Colts after getting drafted in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft. The veteran soon blossomed into the one of the best wideouts in the NFL, making four straight Pro Bowls from 2014-17.
Hilton isn't the player he once was. After recording 1,270 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 2018, he had only 501 yards in 2019 and 762 yards in 2020. Injuries limited him to 10 games in 2010, but he was able to play 15 games last year.
Indy is hoping Hilton won't miss too much time. The Colts have already had a number of key players get hurt ahead of the 2021 regular season. Carson Wentz and Quenton Nelson underwent similar foot surgeries. Backup quarterback Sam Ehlinger just suffered a sprained ACL. Offensive tackle Sam Tevi is out for the season with a torn ACL.
Indy went 11-5 in 2020 and lost to the Houston Texans in the playoffs.