It's tough to blame players for betting on themselves. When it comes to one former Steeler who signed with a division rival, fans hate to say I told you so. In this case, it's true, as a former elite slot cornerback, Mike Hilton, has fallen upon hard times since he left Pittsburgh. Hilton left the Steelers for more money with the Cincinnati Bengals. Now 31 years old, this day was always going to come for Hilton, who can't find a taker for his asking price in NFL free agency.
The Steelers wouldn't mind a reunion with Hilton, but he's burned some bridges in Pittsburgh. After Hilton left the Steelers for the Bengals, Hilton sent a message to Pittsburgh fans in 2021 when his new team beat his old one. Hilton tweeted "man that felt good" after defeating the Steelers, and Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase claimed Hilton was a key piece of Cincinnati's gameplan heading into a big divisional matchup.
“He gave us a speech,” Chase said. “He’s been here. He knows what their mindset is. He know what our mindset is. He was just telling us what we should expect coming into this game.”
Former Steelers defensive back could return to Pittsburgh
Hilton had five tackles in the game, and the Steelers (at the time) struggled to replace him in the slot. Tyler Boyd ran all over them that day, as linebackers and nickel corners didn't quite do the trick. Pittsburgh has found a way to get the best of Hilton and the Bengals since then.
However, what's most concerning about the 31-year-old cornerback these days is that he's still without a job. In March, Hilton tweeted that new opportunities were on the way. It's been over two months and no opportunity has presented itself. It's time to talk.
A Steelers reunion wouldn't be the worst idea if both sides are open to it. Mason Cameron of Pro Football Focus agrees:
“Hilton may be reaching his age-31 season, but he hasn’t slowed down yet, still producing as one of the NFL’s best slot defenders,” Cameron wrote. “The Steelers will need slot help after Cam Sutton’s departure, and given that Pittsburgh drafted Hilton back in 2017, a reunion may be in the cards.”
Add in the fact that Beanie Bishop, a young second-year corner who was a UDFA last season and thrived, has emulated his game after Hilton.
“Mike Hilton, that’s kind of the prototype for the slot corner,” Bishop said. “I’ll go and watch some of his tape and things like that. Guys tell me to watch his tape and just go look at how they want the nickel to play here.”
Hilton would be a great mentor for Bishop, and the Steelers need secondary depth. So, while this former Steeler is unemployed as of this writing, that might not last long.