INDIANAPOLIS -- Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton apologized Monday for his comments critical of the team's offensive line after the group gave up 10 sacks, which tied the franchise record for the second most given up in a game, against Jacksonville on Sunday.
"First and foremost, I would like to apologize to the team and the O-line," Hilton said. "It was out of character, frustrated how the game went. At the end of the day, I have their back. I love them to death and I was wrong. I'm always against that and I go out and do it, so 100 percent I messed up. It's on me. I'm sorry for that and I'm leader and those guys look up to me and I stabbed them in the back, so for me I'm sorry about that. I'll approach them individually one on one and just let them know I was a 100 percent dead-ass wrong."
Sunday's performance against the Jaguars was bad enough for the Colts, as they were shut out in a regular season game, 27-0, for the first time since Dec. 26, 1993. Then Hilton, clearly frustrated that quarterback Jacoby Brissett was sacked 10 times and hit a total of 20 times, questioned the job the offensive linemen did blocking up front.
"We've got to take some pride up front and block for him," Hilton said after the game. "What if we put them back there and take those hits? We've got to start up front. Once we get the O-line going and back in rhythm, we will be fine."
"At the end of the day I just want to win. But at the end of the day I can't do that. For me I have to go out there and play my game and just have each other's back at the same time."T.Y. Hilton
Hilton had two receptions for 27 yards on Sunday.
"At the end of the day I just want to win," he said. "But at the end of the day I can't do that. For me I have to go out there and play my game and just have each other's back at the same time."
Hilton said he talked to coach Chuck Pagano but declined to say what the conversation entailed. The receiver's comments did not sit well with some of the offensive linemen.
"We gotta come together," veteran left tackle Anthony Castonzo said. "Anything that can splinter us off, any finger pointing needs to not happen."
This is the second time in the past three seasons that Hilton questioned people inside the Colts organization. He questioned offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski's play calling after the Colts' Week 15 loss to Houston during the 2015 season.
Despite his latest comments, Hilton, who led the NFL in receiving yards last season, doesn't believe he has to re-earn the trust of his teammates.
"I think I still got it, but at the end of the day I just want to talk to them man to man and let them know what happened," he said.
The Colts (2-5) play at Cincinnati on Sunday.