New Orleans Saints jack-of-all-trades offensive weapon Taysom Hill is expected to miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury, interim head coach Darren Rizzi confirmed during his Monday media availability. Rizzi also said the injury appeared to be an ACL tear but that Hill was likely to get a second opinion. A league source confirmed to that Hill tore his ACL.
Hill was carted off the field with the injury late in the fourth quarter of New Orleans’ 21-14 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 13. The Saints had previously won their first two games under Rizzi.
“It’s hard to sit here and tell you that you can replace Taysom,” Rizzi said. “You can’t. He’s a phenomenal person, player, leader, captain. All those different things. It is certainly a big loss but the only thing we can do is everybody else has to step up.”
The 34-year-old tight end/running back/quarterback has been utilized in a variety of ways for years by the Saints. This year in eight games, the former BYU quarterback rushed for 278 yards and six touchdowns, with an average of 7.1 yards per carry. Hill also added 23 receptions for 187 yards and had four pass attempts. Earlier in the year, he missed four games with a fractured rib and bruised lung.
“There’s not a guy that comes to mind who has been able to do all the different things he’s been able to do just in one game — forget about his career,” Rizzi, who oversees the special teams units in New Orleans, said when discussing the impact Hill has had on his coaching career. “A guy that’s played PP, rushing and blocks punts, returns kicks and I haven’t gotten to offense yet. He’s tackled people. He’s been a kick coverage guy. He’s on our onside kickoff team. He’s a backup long snapper. He’s our backup holder.
“It is going to take multiple people to fill that role because he is so multi-dimensional.”
The Saints (4-8) are already without wide receivers Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (knee injury) and are two games back of the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the division lead in the NFC South. Rizzi announced that running back Kendre Miller and wide receiver Bub Means would have their 21-day practice windows opened to return from injured reserve this week.
What does the future hold for Hill?
That’s a legitimate question given how much punishment he’s taken within the Saints offense as he’ll be 35 by the time next season starts. His bruising style of play within every phase of his game, whether it’s on offense or special teams, would take a toll on any player, much less one in his mid-30s. Hill likely won’t be healthy enough to play at the start of next season, so it’s fair to ask how effective he can be coming off this injury given his knee problems stemming back to college.
On top of that, the Saints are primed for a new head coach next season after the team fired Dennis Allen last month. It’s no guarantee that Rizzi and/or offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak will be part of the next coaching staff. Meaning it’s no guarantee the offense will implement Hill the way the Saints have for the last several years.
Hill really has been such an energizer for so many years, even when Drew Brees was still in the building. This would be a tough way to go out for someone who’s spilled so much guts out for the team he scratched and clawed his way to even make back in 2017.
