When the New Orleans Saints handed Taysom Hill’s No. 7 to quarterback Hunter Dekkers as training camp opened Wednesday, coach Kellen Moore said replacing Hill may be impossible. Moore noted NFL teams have long tried to copy the Saints’ model of a single player who can fill multiple roles, and added, “There’s only one Taysom.”
Hill announced Wednesday night he would not return to New Orleans for a 10th season, leaving behind a singular tenure in franchise history. The Saints claimed Hill off waivers from the Green Bay Packers in 2017 expecting a core special teams contributor; he evolved into a versatile, multiuse player instead.
At various times Hill returned kicks, ran the ball, threw and caught touchdown passes, made tackles and blocked punts, a throwback to an era with fewer specialists. Former Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said in a 2024 interview with sportscaster Kay Adams that he once considered using Hill on defense but that then-head coach Sean Payton would not allow it. Hill drew comparisons in the media to versatile stars of the past such as Frank Gifford and Red Grange.
Hill’s role in New Orleans extended beyond in-game snaps. He spent significant time with quarterbacks and on special teams and was regularly asked to plug into multiple offensive spots because of his football IQ and his background as a college quarterback at BYU from 2012-16. Saints linebacker Kaden Ellis, a teammate and later opponent, noted Hill’s combination of size (6-foot-2, 220 pounds), speed (a 4.4-second 40-yard dash at the combine) and on-field perspective made him difficult to tackle and uniquely useful.
The Saints never settled on a permanent post-Brees role for Hill. He competed for the starting quarterback job one season, moved to tight end the next and in 2023 compiled a career-best 33 catches for 291 yards and two touchdowns. Hill worked mostly with quarterbacks in 2025 while attempting a comeback from a knee injury, played in 13 games and started five that season, and finished his New Orleans career having appeared in 118 regular-season games and six postseason contests.
