Former Colts, Cowboys WR TY Hilton announces retirement from NFL

Longtime Indianapolis Colts wide receiver TY Hilton official retired from the NFL on Wednesday, he announced. He spent 11 seasons in the NFL, 10 of which were with the Colts.

Hilton last played for the Cowboys in 2022 before spending the next three seasons as a free agent. He finishes his career 188 yards shy of 10,000 receiving yards during that span.

👻🥹👻📝🥹👻 pic.twitter.com/IgJS8dENZh

— TY Hilton (@TYHilton13) March 18, 2026

During his career, Hilton logged five 1,000-yard seasons, including four in a row from 2013-2016. His best season came in 2016 when he hauled in 91 receptions for 1,448 yards and six touchdowns. He was former Colts QB Andrew Luck’s favorite target over that stretch, and his final 1,000-yard season coincided with Lucks last season in the NFL.

To go along with the announcement, Hilton prepared a statement. He thanked both the Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys organizations for allowing him the opportunity to play in the NFL.

“After an incredible journey, it’s time for me to retire from the game of football and begin a new chapter,” he wrote. “Thank you to Mr. Irsay, his family and the entire Colts organization for believing in a kid from Miami and giving me the opportunity to live out my dream wearing the horseshoe. I also want to thank the Cowboys organization for giving me the opportunity to continue playing the game I love.

“To my teammates – thank you for the brotherhood. The early mornings, long practices, and the battles on Sundays are memories I’ll carry with me forever. To the fans in Indy, your support meant everything to me from day one. I’ll never forget running out of that tunnel at Lucas Oil Stadium for the first time.

“And at the heart of it all, I want to thank my family and friends. Thank you for the sacrifices, the constant support and for believing in me. I would not have been able to live out this dream without you.”

He signed off the statement with: ‘FOREVER A COLT.’