The 2024 NFC South story is not yet written.
After a searing start to the season that was subsequently derailed through injury, Sunday at the Caeser’s Superdome became the Taysom Hill show.
The New Orleans Saints 35-14 win over the Cleveland Browns was one of the standout games of his career.
People often talk about players being “1 of 1”. The term is used so much, it feels like it is losing its meaning.
But then there is Taysom Hill.
Show me another player in the NFL with a single-game stat line that reads:
- Seven carries for 138 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns
- Eight receptions for 50 receiving yards
- 18 passing yards.
The Swiss Army knife of the New Orleans Saints offense continues to defy all logic. He steamrolled the opposition all night, breaking tackles and Browns hearts on his way to the Saints tight end rushing record.
Tight end?
Taysom is listed as a tight end. But this is only because ‘football player’ is not an official position.
Commentators continue to clutch at straws trying to find comparisons for him. He is truly an all-rounder.
Jim Thorpe in the 1920s? Frank Gifford in the 1950s maybe? Both are Hall of Famers but this is a very different game now.
Maybe one day, he will be the comparison for another player. But it will not be anytime soon.
It seems inexplicable now that Hill went undrafted in the 2017 NFL Draft.
But the New Orleans Saints saw something. They claimed him off waivers after he was released from the Green Bay Packers during final roster cut-down before the 2017 season.
Since then, he has been a vital piece in the Saints offense.
He is deceptively quick, undeniably strong, and even when a defense know what is coming, they struggle to stop him. No-one runs a ‘QB Power’ more effectively.
The ‘everything’ man
Hill might not have won the quarterback battle with Jameis Winston in 2021 but he did not need to do so. He is so much more than just a quarterback.
When he is not putting up ridiculous all-round stats, it can be difficult to understand his impact and value to this Saints team if you are not watching the game.
But if you do watch the games, you will know. He is irreplaceable.
Not a year goes by without people outside of Saints circles commenting on Hill’s contract and salary. He currently commands $10m per year which runs through the 2025 season.
The Saints have struggled this year when Hill was injured. The loss of centre Erik McCoy and a litany of others have been hugely impactful. However, the Saints simply look a completely different team without Taysom.
That $10m a year is incredible value for such a versatile player.
He is 34 years old. He is still setting records.
Taysom Hill – Swiss Army Knife?
Taysom Hill – The Mormon Missile?
To the Who Dat Nation, he is simply, Taysom Hill – Football Player.
