One day in Canton, OH, a yellow jacket will be presented to the one and only Taysom Hill. To his credit, “The One” has arrived in New Orleans. Forget the heir apparent to Drew Brees and his above-average success at quarterback. Taysom Hill is the name of the future.
Taysom Hill Is the Chosen One
The One and Only Taysom Hill Bewilders Us
So what, Hill hasn’t played a regular season game. Not to mention, there’s another player vying for the same job. Teddy Bridgewater is slated to be the favorite as of today. But make no mistake, when it’s all said and done, Taysom Hill, in the end, surpasses all quarterbacks in the Hall of Fame.
Some compare Hill to Steve Young. Seriously? Hill could run backward faster than Young running forwards. Hill is the best thing out of Idaho since the potato was born.
Hill is the chosen one. Actually, he’s a three of a kind. Hill can play offense, defense, and special teams. Blocking punts is on his resume too. Hill received the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 14.
Furthermore, he caught five passes last year along with 196 rushing yards on 37 carries. Moreover, Hill completed three passes for 64 yards. Still, there are are the doubters out there questioning his ability to play quarterback full-time. It’s a travesty. The plethora of talent Hill has is second to none. After this year, Hill gets the keys. Put his picture on Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
From Fantasy to Reality
Now open your eyes for a second. Perhaps the unwavering idol worshiping of Taysom Hill has gotten slightly out hand. Just maybe, a few of those words were meant to hype the Taysom Hill train ride to invincibility. Let’s all come back to Earth now.
Obviously, no one knows much about the capabilities of one Taysom Hill. Perhaps, saying he was better than Steve Young was a stretch. Oh, and the combined talents of Mel Gray and Randy Moss seemed a bit over the top even for believers of Peter Pan. Nevertheless, the reality is, Taysom Hill does have a chance to become the quarterback in waiting.
It’s hard to block out all the extra intangibles Taysom Hill brings to the table. In other words, remember Hill is a quarterback first. And there is no one else at the moment besides Teddy Bridgewater and Taysom Hill on the bench. In 2019, Sean Payton has certainty if either one is called upon. That being said, the “It” factor Taysom Hill possesses is unlike anything in the NFL.
Also, there is one thing going for Hill after Drew Brees decides to hang them up for good. First of all, the job to replace a legend is not something for the faint of heart. The hangover from looking on the field and being Brees-less will be new for everyone. Equally important, whoever gets the nod needs to be his own person.
Hill looks the part so far. And this assessment comes from training camp and beyond. The preseason games show a small sample of the future. Honestly, unless one of these players start throwing dimes left and right in a game, the decision next year will come from plenty of study and evaluations.
Following a Legend Is Daunting
The Green Bay Packers know this situation all too well. One of the most famous quotes came when Aaron Rodgers spoke at a news conference soon after he was drafted. “You know, I don’t think you can ever replace a legend,” he said.
Rodgers knew. Getting the heir apparent label early on helped. By the same token, Rodgers understood what it meant to come in under a legend. The loyalty fans and some of the media had for Brett Favre went deep. Eventually, this challenge was more perplexing than playing in the game.
My favorite quote is in an article written by Rob Demovsky from ESPN when asked if Aaron Rodgers got a chance to hang out with Brett Favre aside from practice. “Seriously,” Rodgers said. “I don’t even have his number.”
The move from being a backup in the NFL to replacing a legend comes with plenty to bare. Taysom Hill, at this point at least, has the look of a star and handles himself a bit better than Teddy Bridgewater. But make no mistake, in this business the only thing that counts is wins and losses. Taysom Hill gives the New Orleans Saints a chance if the defense sputters. Not sure he’s Steve Young yet, but he sure resembles a specimen of non-comparison. There’s only one Taysom Hill. And don’t count him out to be the heir apparent to Drew Brees one day.
