A truly unique player and one of the greatest playmakers to ever suit up for the New Orleans Saints has announced the official end of his era in the Big Easy.
While it isn’t a retirement announcement, at least not yet, Taysom Hill has confirmed what has been a long-suspected departure from the Saints.
“I’ve taken time this offseason to think carefully about what comes next for my family and me,” Hill said in a statement posted to social media. “I still don’t have a clear answer about what the future holds, but I know that returning to New Orleans is not in the cards. As training camp begins, I don’t want my silence to be misinterpreted, and as hard as it is to put into words, I wanted to express my gratitude.”
Over the offseason, the Saints had been transparent about their conversations with Hill. While a contract offer was not extended, the lines of communication were clearly still open.
General manager Mickey Loomis confirmed as such as recently as the day before training camp began. While Loomis declined to share the details of their conversations, it was increasingly clear that the versatile playmaker’s time in New Orleans had appeared to come to an end.
The time Hill spent in the Crescent City will be remembered fondly by every Saints fan. He literally did it all for the city and made a number of game-winning plays from a variety of different responsibilities.
Hill will finish his time in New Orleans with 2,426 passing yards, 12 passing touchdowns, 2,551 rushing yards, 34 rushing touchdowns, 1,034 receiving yards, 11 receiving touchdowns, 489 kick return yards and a blocked field goal.
Last season, he became the first NFL player to total over 1,000 passing, rushing and receiving yards in a career during the Super Bowl era.
Hill is one of a kind and deserves future placement in the franchise Hall of Fame for his contributions to the team and city. Hill’s time in New Orleans may be over, but his impact will be felt by many fans for a lifetime.
