Little Mike Hilton making big plays at right time of his Steelers career

When Mike Hilton switched agents and signed with Rosenhaus Sports Representation in the 2018 offseason, he joined a firm known for getting top dollar for its clients.

Two-and-a-half years later, Hilton not only made a prudent decision, he could set a barometer for slot cornerback contracts when he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2021.

Off to the best start of his career — and arguably the best of any Pittsburgh Steelers defensive player in 2020 — Hilton is showing he is undervalued at $3.259 million, the amount of the restricted free agent tender he is playing under this season.

The Steelers had a chance to extend Hilton’s contract before the season began four weeks ago, but defensive captain Cameron Heyward was the only player they signed to a new contract before their self-imposed deadline to cease negotiations.

If Hilton is bitter — or laughing inside knowing the riches that could await in March — he isn’t showing it.

“I’m really not focused on it,” Hilton said this week when asked about his contract. “I’m focused on what I’ve been doing — that’s playing well and helping our team get into position to win games. Everything off the field will take care of itself. As a man, I just want to go out and do my job and focus on what I can control and let everything else fall in place.”

Those things might not fall in place with the Steelers, who already are projected to be $18 million over the projected salary cap in 2021 with players already under contract. Hilton’s deal could surpass the four-year, $33 million contract with $9 million in guarantees the Indianapolis Colts gave slot corner Kenny Moore in 2019.

Hilton has put himself in line for a hefty payday by leading the 3-0 Steelers with 20 tackles through three games. He also has two sacks, four tackles for loss, one interception and a fumble recovery. To put that into perspective, Hilton’s tackles for loss are tied for fifth in the NFL and lead all cornerbacks. His 18 solo tackles are fourth among NFL cornerbacks.

“He’s just a tough little football player,” coach Mike Tomlin said of the 5-foot-9, 184-pound Hilton. “He’s a football player first and nickel second. He’s good in the run game. He’s solid in the passing game as well, and that provides a platform for him to be noticed in a variety of spaces.”

The Steelers had a chance to sign Hilton to a long-term deal in 2019 when he was an exclusive rights free agent. He did not sign his tender until the first day of training camp, following a strategy tackle Alejandro Villanueva employed two years earlier. While Villanueva was rewarded with a four-year, $24 million contract, Hilton did not get an extension.

This year, the Steelers used a second-round tender on Hilton, a former undrafted free agent who cracked the secondary in 2017. Still, no long-term deal was finalized.

Perhaps knowing what awaits him financially after this season, Hilton used the extended offseason because of the coronavirus pandemic to his advantage.

“It was a different offseason, so I had a lot more time to learn my body and get it up to par and get it into real football shape,” Hilton said. “The mental part, I’m going into my fourth year. I’ve seen a lot of things, played against a lot of different offenses, all the different coordinators and quarterbacks. It’s just me having all that experience and really learning the game is putting me into the position to make plays.”

Hilton made plenty of them in Week 2 against Denver when he had a team-high eight tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, a pass breakup and a fumble recovery. The next week, it was Hilton’s fourth-quarter interception in the red zone that set up the Steelers’ go-ahead touchdown drive in a 28-21 victory against Houston.

Hilton’s run support and ability to blitz the quarterback have earned him increased playing time. He is playing a career-high 70% of all defensive snaps, up from 62.5% last year. Hilton also has remained on the field at safety in place of Terrell Edmunds in certain subpackages.

It seems recognition as one of the NFL’s top slot cornerbacks finally is coming Hilton’s way — even if he doesn’t have the paycheck to match.

“It’s nothing different,” Hilton said. “I’ve been the underdog pretty much my whole life. I’ve embraced that role. … Ask the guys in the locker room, they know how much I put into this defense and how I go all out for these guys.”