Fullback expected to join list of successful challenges Saints quarterback Taysom Hill has navigated

'He's handled everything we've thrown at him - and we've thrown a lot at him'

Jul 27, 2024 at 05:00 PM

John DeShazier

Senior Writer

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Irvine, Calif. – Maybe there's a challenge or two Taysom Hill would decline.

But if the New Orleans Saints genuinely needed the eight-year veteran to take on yet another responsibility? He hasn't been able to bring himself to say "no" to many, if any, of the challenges presented since joining the franchise in 2017, a lagniappe, rookie free agent addition to arguably the best draft class in franchise history.

That year, the quarterback accepted a role as a gunner on the kickoff cover team and totaled four tackles.

Since, he has started and/or played snaps at quarterback, tight end, receiver, personal protector (for the punter), punt rusher, kickoff returner and, this season, in the offensive system being installed by coordinator Klint Kubiak, Hill will play some fullback and running back.

"Just about every skill potential position that you can think of, he's done it," Coach Dennis Allen said.

"Our defensive guys will come up to me and make jokes, like, 'Where are you playing today?'" Hill said Saturday, following the Saints' fourth training camp practice at Cal-Irvine. "Like, we don't know how to call your personnel (on offense) when we're in the huddle and they're saying, 'Hey, (No) 7 is in the huddle,' so they have to be able to know that that can mean a lot of different things. So the more that I can do there, the more I can do other places, I think it just makes us harder to defend.

"At the end of the day, we're all chasing an experience. We're all chasing an expectation in the NFL. I don't care who you are, what team you're on, the expectation doesn't change: The expectation is to win, the expectation is to play in the postseason. We've talked about this in the past – when you're on a team that wins and you go on this postseason run, you become part of NFL history. At the end of the day, that's all that matters. That's all we're chasing."

That chase is the one he and his teammates have fixated on this offseason, but Hill already has achieved a sizable piece of personal history along the way.

In the NFL's existence, he is one of only five players to achieve 10 rushing, 10 passing and 10 receiving touchdowns in a career, joining Frank Gifford, Charley Trippi, Red Grange and Jimmy Conzelman.

"He's handled everything that we've thrown at him – and we've thrown a lot at him," Allen said. "He's played a lot of different positions, a lot of different areas. Motions, shifts, alignments, positions.

"But he's handled it like a true pro and look, there's a lot of guys that have an athletic skill set, but you can't throw that much on them because they can't handle it mentally. This is a guy that can handle it mentally and it's been fun for me to see a fresh vision for how we can utilize this player. It's not just as the Wildcat quarterback. There's a lot of other things that this guy can do, both in the running game and the passing game.

All-Access Photos: 2024 Saints Training Camp practice 7/27/24