By Ross Jackson
Taysom Hill did it all Sunday.
He ran for 138 yards, reeled in a team-high eight catches for 50 yards, threw two passes and had a 42-yard kick return. He even threw an interception and made a tackle after fumbling the ball away.
Those two turnovers sent him to the halftime locker room “pissed off” according to Interim Head Coach Darren Rizzi. That showed in the second half. Hill broke off touchdown runs of 33 and 75 yards to help ice the game.
Simply put, Hill was unstoppable.
Comparisons to players of previous eras often come up with Hill. Kordell Stewart’s name is referenced. “Slash”, as he was called, was one of the all-time greats as a Swiss Army Knife. In addition to being a quarterback and rusher, he often found ways here and there to contribute as a pass-catcher.
But Hill’s numbers have turned out to be far more impressive away from the quarterback position. Stewart was a multi-year starter at quarterback. Hill only received that opportunity a few times due to injuries ahead of him. The former BYU Cougar instead has found ways to make plays elsewhere, first landing on the map as a special teams contributor years ago.
Hill is going to be compared to a lot of players that require many to dig back into the annuals of NFL history. But the fact of the matter is that no one may ever earn the right to be compared to Hill.
Rizzi evoked the name of Hall of Famer Red Grange who starred in the 1920s and ‘30s. Grange played his first few seasons before the forward pass was even allowed to be made from anywhere behind the line of scrimmage. Before 1933, all forward passes had to be made at least five yards behind the line. Grange was once a First-Team All-Pro after rushing for five touchdowns and adding another pair as a receiver.
ESPN Research, as shared by ESPN’s Katherine Terrell, evoked the name of Ed Podolak after Hill became the first player to complete a pass, total three rushing touchdowns and have 50 receiving yards in a game since Podolak did it in 1971.
If you ask Hill, he enjoys the comparisons because of his respect for the players that paved the way before him.
“I know that the guys that did this before us,” Hill said. “Did a lot for us that are now playing. So to be talked about with those guys means a lot to me. I love this game, but the reality is that the guys that came before us laid a foundation for us to be playing in stadiums like this on national television.”
Hill clearly has a lot of respect for those that have played the game before him. There is no question that those that play this game for years to come will have a ton of respect for Hill.
Truthfully, there may never be another player like him.
Many teams have tried to replicate him in the past. From the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quarterback Nick Fitzgerald to the Saints’ and Carolina Panthers’ bidding war for versatile player Tommy Stevens. Many teams have tried and failed to reproduce the magic that Hill has brought to New Orleans.
While Hill is busy doing things that no one has done since the old days of the NFL, there may never be a player that becomes “the first since Taysom Hill.” But the versatile offensive weapons takes a lot of pride in the bridge that he’s building from one generation to the next.
“I look at the growth of our league through my last eight years here,” Hill said. “That means that means a lot to me as well to be able to continue to add to something that is certainly a lot bigger than myself. Football has been my life. As I look back to my time in little league and college and now I get to play football and take care of my family while I do this. So, this stuff, it’s been my life and so to be able to add to that means a lot to me.”
Hill may very well be one of one in the NFL. What fans are getting to watch and what the Saints have on their team is special. Rizzi said at halftime that the more New Orleans gets him involved, the better off they are. With Hill doing what he’s doing at the age of 34, the Saints shouldn’t waste any time getting the most of him.
Hill’s usage took a bit of a dip over the middle of the season as he was returning from injury. Now, with a bye week on the way, he should again be fresh and rested before the Saints host the Los Angeles Rams in Week 13. Hill should again be a focus for the Saints who look to extend their Rizzi-era win streak to three games.
