Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver Eugene Hilton Jr. has an NFL father.
But for anyone who isn’t a die-hard Indianapolis Colts fan, it may not occur immediately.
He’s a junior, so his dad has the same name, right? Well, sort of.
Eugene Hilton Jr.’s dad is former Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton. Yeah, TY’s real name was Eugene.
Let’s go down that rabbit hole for a bit.
Why Was T.Y. Hilton Called T.Y.?
T.Y. Hilton got his nickname because his father’s name was Tyrone.
When the young Hilton was growing up, his family called him that shortened version of the first two letters of his dad’s name.
It stuck.
Besides, Eugene doesn’t exactly sound like a particularly speedy wide receiver.
So T.Y. Hilton’s Kid Goes By Eugene?
Rather than going as T.Y. Hilton junior, which wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense when you consider the actual name lineage, Eugene Hilton Jr. rocks with his birth certificate.
It’s actually a pretty fascinating way to shoutout his heritage without everyone immediately knowing who he is.
If he went with his dad’s exact, well-known name, it would draw more attention.
By being Eugene Hilton Jr., there were likely parts of his life where he could fly just a little bit under the radar.
Now playing high-level college football, Eugene’s story will become more notable. And he certainly had a great wide receiver role model.
Who Is Eugene Hilton Jr.?
Hilton Jr. is now a sophomore at Wisconsin.
He went to high school in Zionsville, Indiana, and he was a four-star recruit.
His dad had been a lesser recruit who had to prove himself collegiately at Florida International before proving he very much belonged as an NFL star.
Eugene Jr. was a higher-level high school recruit and came to Wisconsin as part of the Class of 2025.
In his freshman season on campus, the 6-foot-2 and 204-pound Hilton Jr. played in all 12 Wisconsin games. He totaled eight catches for 91 yards.
His only two-catch game came on Nov. 22 against Illinois when he totaled 16 yards.
His longest catch as a freshman came against Oregon on Oct. 25, a 42-yard grab.
He’s got at least another year before he could even consider leaving school for the NFL. Eugene Jr.’s task in 2026 is to establish himself as a starting-level WR for the Badgers, then try to grow into a star in 2027, and then maybe he can follow in dad’s NFL footsteps.
T.Y. played 10 seasons in the NFL after being a third-round pick in 2012. He made the Pro Bowl four times. He finished his career with 638 catches for 9,812 yards and 53 touchdowns.
Eugene Jr. now has next, and it’ll be up to him to see what he can grow into with a serious pedigree to call upon when he needs it.
Why T.Y. Hilton’s Son Plays At Wisconsin As Eugene Hilton Jr.