Mike Hilton turns 3-sack performance into AFC Defensive Player of the Week award

When you think about surprises for this 2017 Pittsburgh Steelers team, none would be more pleasurable than watching Mike Hilton turn into a starter on the defense. At just 5-feet 9-inches, Hilton is the man they call ‘Big Mike’, and he plays much larger than his physical stature.

Hilton has been a fixture on the Steelers’ defense as the first cornerback coming off the bench, and it is hard to believe he was once on the bubble for making the roster this Fall.

Nonetheless, here we are, and Hilton has turned into a solid cover slot cornerback, but a heat-seeking missile as a blitzer. He used this skill set in Week 16 vs. the Houston Texans to the tune of 3 sacks. This performance won him AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

This is Hilton’s first Player of the Week award he has won in his career, and the 8th time a Steelers player has won a Player of the Week award at some point this season.

For Hilton, this is just the beginning, but the Steelers should be proud of the man they didn’t just sign to an offseason contract, but for giving him the chance to perform — he hasn’t disappointed.