Taysom Hill's Big Offseason keeps getting Better
Over the past three seasons Taysom Hill has become a do it all playmaker for New Orleans earning himself multiple nicknames: “Swiss army Knife” & “Jack of all Saints”. However, on Wednesday Hill announced he will earn another nickname come the 2020 season, “Dad”.
Taysom Hill went to Twitter to share the exciting news that he and his wife, Emily, are expecting their first child. The photo posted is a digital art portrait of Taysom’s profile picture with a baby in the arms of Taysom and Emily. The couple announcing that they are expecting in August 2020, right before the scheduled kickoff of the NFL’s regular season.
On top of the news of becoming parents, Taysom and Emily have found a new hobby this offseason as bakers. In an interview with former Saints QB Chase Daniel, Hill explains that a minor surgery on his pinkie finger forced him out of his workout routine for a few months over the summer and he and his wife began watching “The Great British Baking Show” on the streaming service Netflix. Hill began making a list of things he saw on the show that he wanted to bake and started a hobby for the couple making a multitude of pastries and desserts. Hill shared with Daniel that he has really enjoyed creating cakes and pies.
The offseason for Hill is in Utah where he played college football at BYU but told Daniel he is “kinda stuck inside” and “laying low”. Hill was training at BYU, using the school’s equipment, prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. The school shut down all facilities because of the pandemic, leaving Hill without a weight room, and a nutritionist.
The shutdown of BYU left Hill to work out at home and trying to find equipment.
LLater in his interview with Chase Daniel the two former teammates talk about a moment in December 2017 when Sean Payton called Taysom Hill into his office and asked Hill if he wanted to play special teams. Hill’s response “Absolutely” even though he had never played special teams before.
"It was really hard for me my rookie year going to Minnesota, being in that environment, new stadium and then I didn't even put a jersey on. I didn't have a helmet but I went through the week of practice [just like the other QBs]. That was really hard for me so, when Coach called me and said 'What do you think about this [playing special teams]'? Man it created an opportunity for me to put my helmet on, get a jersey and get on the football field. So the ultimate goal never changed and that is to play quarterback but it was one step closer to getting on the field and thats what I was all about."
The next week Hill makes two special teams tackles against Carolina and became the NFL's "Swiss Army Knife" player.
Heading into the 2020 NFL season Hill may earn another title, “Back-up Quarterback”. Saints Head Coach Sean Payton said, during an interview with WWL this offseason, that Hill has earned the opportunity to be the Saints number two QB.
“He has also earned the opportunity to play and help us win football games as a No. 1 and what I mean by that is whether you call him a wide receiver, tight end or a specialist... also a quarterback. Yeah, he is going to play, he is too good a football player and he is one of our better football players and because of that more than likely you’re going to need a third quarterback dressed on the sidelines. But I would say coming into the season he is going to be our second string quarterback and obviously play a number of snaps not only at quarterback but other positions."
Hill, 29, is entering his fourth year in the NFL. Hill has spent all four years of his professional career with New Orleans scoring 7 Touchdowns in that span (6 receiving & 1 rushing).
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