Former NFL receiver T.Y. Hilton returns to high school alma mater to coach

The native son is coming home.

It was two decades ago that T.Y. Hilton lifted the Miami Springs football program to great heights as an all-purpose All-County athlete on both sides of the ball.

Now he will hope to do the same thing again. This time as the program’s head coach.

Hilton was named the new head coach of the Golden Hawks on Friday, replacing Mario Montoya who had been the team’s head coach since 2018.

“T.Y.’s appointment is especially meaningful because he is one of our own,” Miami Springs principal Nelson Gonzalez said. “Once a Hawk, always a Hawk is what we preach around here and T.Y. embodies the spirit and pride of this community. His leadership will not only elevate our football program to new heights but, more importantly inspire young people to become champions of character.”

Hilton was the ultimate unicorn when he played for the Golden Hawks from 2004-2007.

His senior year he virtually never came off the field. As a wide receiver, he averaged 18.7 yards per catch with 785 receiving yards to go with 16 touchdowns. He lit it up on special teams as a kick returner returning four kickoffs for touchdown and for good measure had seven interceptions including two pick-sixes as the team’s free safety on defense.

In a rarity, not only was he named to the Miami Herald’s First Team All County team in football his senior year, Hilton was a two-sport star. He also led the basketball team to a district championship and regional semifinal berth and also made First Team All County in basketball the following spring.

He graduated from Springs in 2008 and famously chose FIU over West Virginia when the night before signing day his infant son picked up an FIU cap eight times in row instead of WVU on their bed.

He then played for then-FIU head coach Mario Cristobal in his first season there, and quickly made an impact. Hilton’s career took off from there. He finished his freshman season ranked third in the nation in all-purpose yardage per game (180 yards per contest) and was ultimately named the Sun Belt Conference’s Freshman Player of the Year.

He moved on to the NFL after being drafted in the third round by the Indianapolis Colts in 2012, and wasted little time making an impact. With fellow rookie Andrew Luck throwing him passes, Hilton made the All-Rookie team in 2012 and went on to a nine-year career with the Colts, making the Pro Bowl four different times.

Hilton played his last NFL season with the Dallas Cowboys in 2022. He moved back to South Florida from Indianapolis last year and was coaching youth football at Gwen Cherry Park.