Taysom Hill says goodbye to the New Orleans Saints after nine seasons, has not yet decided whether to continue his career
Taysom Hill confirmed on July 29, 2026, that he is parting ways with the New Orleans Saints after nine seasons. One of the most versatile players of the modern NFL era did not announce his retirement, but said that he is still considering what is best for him and his family. He made it clear, however, that returning to New Orleans is no longer an option.
Hill's announcement came at a time when clubs had already opened training camps for the 2026 season, and his months-long absence from the Saints' plans was beginning to take on a definitive shape. According to the club's official announcement, the 35-year-old free agent wanted to prevent his silence from being interpreted as the possibility of a later return to the team. He wrote that he still did not have a clear answer about what comes next, but that he knew continuing his partnership with the Saints "was not in the cards." This closed one of the most unusual and recognizable chapters in the recent history of the Louisiana franchise. Hill played all nine of his regular NFL seasons for New Orleans, although he entered the league through the Green Bay Packers.
An emotional message to the city, fans and organization
In his farewell message, Hill emphasized that New Orleans had not merely been a place of work for him during those nine years. His family built a life there, his eldest son was born there, and the many friendships and shared experiences, as he stated, will remain a permanent part of their family's story. He especially thanked the city and the fans, recalling the saying that New Orleans will return the love of anyone who genuinely falls in love with the city. According to him, the support that he and his family received on and off the field exceeded all expectations. He ended the message with the words "Forever a Saint," emphasizing that his emotional connection with the club remains even after their professional separation.
Hill also thanked Saints owner Gayle Benson, his teammates, coaches and the organization's employees. He pointed out that, more than individual games and statistical achievements, he would remember the relationships built with the people at the club. He wrote that they helped him become a better player, but also a better person, and that he felt privileged to have had the opportunity to work with so many quality people. The tone of the farewell is also significant because Hill did not leave after a public conflict, a dispute over his role or dissatisfaction with the organization. His announcement resembled the closing of a long chapter of life more than a conventional report about changing clubs.
On the same day, the Saints released a farewell video dedicated to Hill's time in the black-and-gold uniform. According to the club's announcement and reports by American sports media, the video was narrated by Drew Brees, the legendary Saints quarterback and Hill's former teammate. Brees and Hill shared the locker room from 2017 until the end of the 2020 season, when Hill frequently entered games as an additional option alongside Brees. Choosing Brees as the narrator symbolically connected two different faces of the New Orleans offense of that period: the traditional elite passer and the player who was almost impossible to place in a single positional category. In this way, the club gave Hill the kind of farewell that is rarely organized for a player who has not formally announced his retirement.
From an undrafted quarterback to a unique offensive weapon
Hill arrived in the NFL in 2017 as an undrafted quarterback from Brigham Young University. The Green Bay Packers signed him after the draft, but released him during the final roster cutdown, after which the Saints claimed him off waivers on September 3, 2017. In New Orleans, he did not receive the conventional developmental path of a backup quarterback. Instead, then-head coach Sean Payton gradually created roles for him on special teams, as a runner, receiver, blocker and executor of direct plays from the quarterback formation. Hill accepted physically demanding assignments that are generally not given to players being developed for the most protected position in American football.
Over time, he became a tactical problem for opposing defenses because his entry into the game did not reveal in advance what kind of play would be run. He could take the ball and run between the lines, execute an option play, throw a deep pass, line up as a tight end or wide receiver, block for another runner or participate on special teams. The Saints also used him as a punter protector, kickoff returner and player in formations for short-yardage attempts and situations near the opponent's end zone. His value therefore could not be fully explained by a single statistical category. Opposing coaches had to adjust their personnel and defensive alignment as soon as Hill entered the game, even when he ultimately did not touch the ball.
Hill also received opportunities as the starting quarterback when injuries or other circumstances removed the Saints' first-choice players. During the 2020 and 2021 seasons, he occasionally took over the starting quarterback role, demonstrating that his contribution was not limited to a few prearranged plays. Nevertheless, he made his greatest impact as a hybrid player, or as a member of the offense for whom there was no conventional job description. His willingness to change assignments from week to week gave the coaches additional creativity when constructing the game plan. In a league that strictly divides players according to specialized positions, Hill became an exception that other clubs attempted to imitate, but without entirely equal results.
A statistical record that describes his versatility
According to the Saints' official review after the 2025 season, Hill finished his New Orleans career with 2,426 passing yards, 2,551 rushing yards and 1,034 receiving yards. This made him the only player in the Super Bowl era with at least one thousand yards in each of those three categories. That statistic best illustrates how far his career diverged from the standard paths of a quarterback, running back or tight end. NFL.com also states that he recorded 12 passing touchdowns, 34 rushing touchdowns and 11 receiving touchdowns, for a total of 57 offensive touchdowns scored in three different ways. Such a distribution of production is difficult to compare with that of most contemporary players because their responsibilities are considerably narrower.
Even before his final season, Hill became the first player since Hall of Famer Frank Gifford, who played from 1952 to 1964, to record double-digit touchdown totals in passing, rushing and receiving. Gifford played during a period when positional boundaries were less rigid, while Hill reached the same threshold in a highly specialized modern league. His statistical profile is therefore not merely a collection of interesting numbers, but also the result of the coaches' long-term confidence in using him in very different roles. In individual games, he served as a backup quarterback, the primary runner in short-yardage situations, an additional tight end and a member of several special-teams units. Few players have had an importance to the game plan that so greatly exceeded their official position on the roster.
His numbers were not produced during a single short experimental phase. Hill remained part of the Saints' offense for nearly an entire decade through changes of coaches, coordinators and starting quarterbacks. After the 2025 season, he himself recalled that Sean Payton was the first to envision everything he could do, but he also thanked the later coaching staffs that continued to create opportunities for him. This included the period after Brees' retirement, when the Saints were searching for a new identity at the most important position. Hill's ability to fill multiple roles often gave the team a solution that could not easily be found on the free-agent market.
Serious injury, return and final season
The final two years of his tenure were also marked by health difficulties. In December 2024, Hill suffered a serious knee injury, including a torn anterior cruciate ligament and additional damage, which kept him off the field for the remainder of the season. His recovery extended into the beginning of the 2025 season, delaying his return. According to the Saints' official season review, after being activated he did not miss any of New Orleans' final 13 games. Because of his perseverance, sportsmanship and return from a serious injury, his teammates selected him as the club's recipient of the 2025 Ed Block Courage Award.
In his ninth season, Hill rushed for 114 yards and one touchdown on 52 attempts, caught 11 passes for 91 yards, and recorded 57 passing yards and one passing touchdown. He played his most complete game on December 21, 2025, against the New York Jets at Caesars Superdome. In the Saints' 29-6 victory, he led the team with 42 rushing yards, added 36 receiving yards and threw a 38-yard touchdown pass. It was a summary of everything he represented during his career: in the same game, he influenced the result as a runner, receiver and passer. It was during the closing stretch of that season that he surpassed one thousand receiving yards and completed his historic triple-category achievement.
His return after a serious injury demonstrated that Hill could still perform a variety of assignments, but it also raised the question of how sustainable such a physically demanding role would be in the late stage of his career. At 35, he is in a phase of his career in which longer-term opportunities are more often reserved for conventional quarterbacks than for players who regularly absorb contact as runners, receivers and blockers. His decision therefore depends not only on whether other clubs are interested, but also on whether he wants to accept a new system, relocate his family and endure another season of heavy physical demands. Hill did not mention negotiations with other teams in his farewell message, nor did he indicate a deadline for a final decision. According to the available information, he remains a free agent considering whether to continue his career, but without a publicly confirmed next step.
The Saints close a special chapter in their recent history
General manager Mickey Loomis described Hill's career with the organization to date as extraordinary in every respect. In the official response, he highlighted Hill's intelligence, unique athletic abilities, versatility and selflessness, adding that he was an excellent teammate, leader and mentor. Loomis also said that a day would come when the club would appropriately celebrate all of Hill's achievements. Such wording does not constitute an official announcement of a particular honor, but it clearly demonstrates the place Hill occupies in the club's memory. His farewell was not treated as the ordinary departure of a player whose contract had expired.
For the Saints, his departure also has practical consequences. A player who could serve as a backup quarterback, an additional tight end, a short-yardage runner, a blocker and a special-teams member cannot be replaced by making a simple change at one position. The coaching staff will have to distribute those assignments among several roster members or adjust portions of the offense that had been built around Hill's unpredictability for years. This does not mean that every one of his contributions will be visible in basic statistics, but the loss of tactical flexibility could be felt in third- or fourth-down situations, near the end zone and in special play packages. Hill's departure therefore also marks the end of a concept that became a recognizable part of New Orleans' identity.
At the same time, the fact that Hill has not announced his retirement leaves open the possibility that his unusual profile could appear in another system. A club signing him would need to have a clearly envisioned role, because his value never came from being a conventional second or third option at one position. Creative coaches, room on the active roster and a willingness to adapt the weekly plan to his abilities would be necessary. Together with his age and injury history, these are factors that may narrow the market, but not completely eliminate interest. Until Hill makes a decision, it remains unclear whether his farewell to the Saints was also the final chapter of his NFL career.
Regardless of whether he plays again, Hill leaves New Orleans with an identity that he built almost exclusively within that organization. He did not become a star through the conventional statistics of a single position, but through his willingness to do everything the team asked of him. His path from an undrafted quarterback to a record holder of the Super Bowl era demonstrated how unconventional player usage can change the way defenses prepare for a game. The farewell message, Loomis' response and the video narrated by Drew Brees confirm that the Saints viewed his contribution as something greater than a series of specialized plays. A final decision about his future has not yet been made, but his nine-year period in New Orleans has officially ended.
Sources:
- New Orleans Saints - official publication of Hill's farewell message and the statement by general manager Mickey Loomis (link)
- New Orleans Saints - review of Hill's 2025 season, statistics, return after injury and historic production in three categories (link)
- NFL.com - confirmation of his free-agent status, departure from the Saints and final offensive statistics (link)
- New Orleans Saints - official farewell video dedicated to Taysom Hill (link)
- New Orleans Saints - official player profile, transaction overview, position and career statistics (link)
- NFL.com - report on the torn anterior cruciate ligament and additional knee damage suffered in 2024 (link)
- Yahoo Sports - report on the club's farewell video narrated by Drew Brees (link)