Taysom Hill Plays Other Sports
A fictional look into the future of the Saints’ Swiss Army quarterback.
July 14, 2022
In a press conference Thursday morning, former Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Taysom Hill announced his retirement from the NFL, ending a five-year career which began in 2017. After failing to make the Green Bay Packers’ 53-man roster that season, Hill signed with the New Orleans Saints, where he would spend his first three seasons.
Despite being officially listed as a quarterback, Hill gained notoriety for his ability to play a variety of positions. Hill earned his first playing time on special teams, where he appeared on both return and coverage teams, including as a returner. Offensively, he took the occasional snap at quarterback but was also featured at wide receiver, tight end, and even running back. During his time with the Saints, he earned the nickname “The Human Swiss Army Knife” for his versatility.
Following a career-best season in 2019 in which he scored seven total touchdowns, Hill had vocal intentions of being a franchise quarterback and looked to be the successor to Drew Brees. However, after Brees signed a contract extension and the team drafted Jordan Love, who won the backup QB battle, an increasingly dissatisfied Hill requested a trade and was ultimately sent to the Chargers.
For two more seasons, Hill continued to play just about everywhere on the field. But after remaining stuck behind Tyrod Taylor on the depth chart and with no other team willing to give him a shot at quarterback, Hill has now decided to walk away from the NFL. This might be the last we see from Hill, 31, in professional football, but sources close to him say this is far from the end of his career as a professional athlete.
August 28, 2022
Following the announcement that he would be ending his football career last month, rumors swirled about former NFL quarterback Taysom Hill’s next move given his desire to continue competing as an athlete. Today, it seems his decision has been made, as ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports that Hill has signed a minor league baseball contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Hill did not play baseball at either the high school or college level but showcased a powerful swing during the New Orleans Saints 2019 training camp, where he won a Home Run Derby among the team’s quarterbacks. With his reputation for versatility, it remains too early to determine what role Hill would play on a minor league roster. Still, he seems excited about the new opportunity.
“It’s really great to have a chance to prove myself with such a historic franchise,” Hill said. “I understand this might seem strange to some of you, but I’ve always been a real big fan of the game, and this is something I’ve been thinking about for a while now. Obviously I know it’s not going to be easy and I’ll have to work my way up, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes and I can’t wait to get this next chapter started.”
Hill’s decision to switch to baseball is reminiscent of Tim Tebow, who similarly left the NFL after failing to secure a position as a starting quarterback. Tebow signed a minor league contract with the Mets back in 2016 and reached as high as Triple-A ball before ending his run with the organization following the 2020 season after it became clear an MLB call-up was not in the cards.
Just days after his 32nd birthday, Hill is one of the older players in recent memory to attempt a professional baseball career and three years older than Tebow was at the start of his Mets journey. Hill is expected to begin training and participate in the Florida Instructional League next month.
March 18, 2023
After an impressive Spring Training, NFL quarterback turned MLB hopeful Taysom Hill is headed back to Utah, where he spent his college days, to play with the Ogden Raptors of the Pioneer League. The Rookie League affiliate of the Dodgers has alumni including Prince Fielder, Cody Bellinger, and Kenley Jansen, and Hill will look to be the next to use his time in Ogden as a springboard for success down the line.
After trying out a handful of different positions, Hill’s speed and arm strength made him a natural fit for right field, where he is expected to begin the season. However, he is continuing to develop his talent as a pitcher in hopes of becoming a serviceable reliever down the line. Pitching coach Dave Robinson said Hill has good velocity but needs to work on his command and continue to refine his mechanics.
“You know, Tay has made some great strides so far and has a real good attitude,” Robinson said. “Obviously, throwing a baseball is a lot different from a football, but he’s got some things you can’t teach and we see a lot of potential in him.”
The Raptors begin their season on June 16 with a home series against the Rocky Mountain Vibes.
September 25, 2023
A visibly disappointed Taysom Hill called it quits on his baseball career Monday after just a single minor league season with the Ogden Raptors. Sources say the Dodgers organization indicated to Hill that they were not interested in renewing his contract for the 2024 season after Hill hit just .173/.220/.264 with five home runs and 30 RBI and struggled to remain in the starting lineup. Despite his attempts to additionally contribute as a relief pitcher, Hill made no pitching appearances.
Whereas Tim Tebow was able to achieve a moderate level of success in the minor leagues, Hill’s lack of any significant baseball experience prior to late 2022 proved too large a hurdle to climb. Additionally, while Tebow generated a significant increase in attention and attendance for his teams, the same couldn’t be said of Hill, who does not have the same level of celebrity.
However, once again, the road is not over for the persistent Hill, who will now pivot his attention to training for the 2024 Summer Olympics. Hill will aim to compete in the long jump in Paris. Back in 2009, Hill finished eighth in the Utah 5A State Meet in the event as a high school senior.
June 29, 2024
Brian Worthy has won the men’s long jump at the U.S. Olympic Team Track and Field Trials for the Paris Games that begin next month with a leap of 27 feet 5 inches. Second and third-place finishers Marcus Washington and José Escobar have also qualified for the Olympics. Among those who failed to advance were Shaun Tillman, seen by many as a favorite before suffering a knee injury during the competition, and multi-sport athlete Taysom Hill, who failed to make it out of qualifying.
The Track and Field Trials continue tomorrow with finals in the men’s pole vault and the men’s and women’s 800-meter run.
January 8, 2026
It seems seven-time PDGA World Champion disc golfer Paul McBeth has found a new training partner in none other than ex-NFL quarterback Taysom Hill. Since retiring from the NFL in 2022, Hill has bounced around the sports world, most recently making an attempt to qualify for the 2024 Olympics in the long jump.
Although he’s never quite lived up to his lofty expectations, the 35-year old is not done yet and has his sights set on competing on the rapidly rising Disc Golf Pro Tour.
“What I love so much about disc golf is that anyone is able to compete,” said Hill. “I think it’s no secret that I’ve passed my athletic prime, but I’m more determined than ever and I’ve learned from my past experiences. It just feels great to be out in nature, and there’s no better mentor than Paul. I’m just so excited and I know I’m gonna kill it.”
For McBeth, working with his friend brings a renewed enthusiasm in the game.
“At this stage of my career, it’s easy to get complacent, but working with Taysom right now, I’m just having a ton of fun, to be honest. It’s actually pretty incredible how fast he’s picked all of this up. He can make all the throws, it’s just a matter of consistency, and that’s something that only comes with hours upon hours upon hours of practice.”
The result of Hill and McBeth’s practice promises to be one of the more interesting storylines of the upcoming season.
October 18, 2026
[TRANSCRIPT: “Catching up with Taysom Hill at the 2026 USDGC”]
Hayley: Well, I’m joined by Taysom Hill here at Winthrop Gold in Rock Hill, South Carolina for the 2026 USDGC. How are you enjoying the atmosphere here for your first USDGC?
Taysom: Man, everyone here has just been fantastic. The staff is great, the fans are great, I just wish I could’ve put on a better show today.
Hayley: Well, it’s only been one round but let’s talk about that. You went +8 today, certainly not what you were expecting. What do you attribute that to? Any nerves coming in?
Taysom: First of all, this is a very difficult course and one that I had never played prior to a couple of days ago. A lot of this is still new for me. But yeah, I don’t know. I was missing a lot of my spots, wasn’t putting well…a bunch of stuff, really.
Hayley: On the bright side, there’s still a lot of time over the next three rounds to get things sorted out and move up the leaderboards. We’ve been following your training with Paul McBeth this year. Did you get a chance to see any of his first round?
Taysom: Yeah. The man’s killing it, no surprises there. He’s just such an inspiration to watch and I’ll definitely be rooting for him to take this thing down.
Hayley: Alright. Before we let you go, any words for the fans who’ve been following your journey this season?
Taysom: Sure. For everyone out there, your support means so much to me. I’m so lucky to have people still cheering me on. I promise I’ll continue to put in the work and make you proud.
Hayley: Thanks so much for talking to us Taysom, and for all you viewers out there, stay tuned for more of our USDGC coverage.
March 6, 2029
Big news coming today from the Minnesota Moose of the Virtual Football League as Taysom Hill has apparently left the team after refusing to accept a position as the backup quarterback for the team. After a whirlwind several years, it feels as if we’ve finally gone full circle as Hill was equally unsatisfied with his role as backup quarterback during his time in the NFL.
Hill brings more NFL experience than any other quarterback in the VFL, but his slow reaction time and lack of familiarity with virtual gaming provided obstacles to his success in the league. Coaching may have been another potential option for Hill had he not made his intentions of being a player clear.
July 10, 2030
It was heartbreak for former NFL quarterback Taysom Hill on Day 5 of the World Series of Poker Main Event as he fell victim to a devastating river that sent him packing when he was favored to become chip leader of the entire tournament.
Hill called an under-the-gun raise of 125,000 from Jack Rollins in the big blind holding J♢T♣ and saw a flop of K♠A♠Q♡, giving him a broadway straight. Hill checked and then, facing a bet of 150k from Rollins, raised to 500k. Rollins 3-bet to 1.3 million and Hill called.
After a turn brought the innocent 6♢, Hill again checked. Rollins bet 1.7 million, and Hill raised all-in for roughly 3 million more. After agonizing over the decision for a few minutes, Rollins committed most of his remaining chips, turning over A♢A♣ for top set. With just one card left, Hill was a 77% favorite to double up to 11 million in chips. However, a river Q♠ gave Rollins a full house, busting Hill in 154th place for $63,810, well short of the $10 million top prize.
Circumstances aside, it was a tremendous finish for Hill, who had only recently begun playing live tournament poker. But understandably, Hill did not take the outcome well, looking utterly crushed similar to Matt Affleck following his memorable bad beat in the 2010 Main Event.
August 27, 2030
According to multiple sources, Taysom Hill has checked himself into rehab. Those close to Hill say the former NFL quarterback had been struggling with alcohol abuse and in a downward spiral over the past few months. Hill, who after leaving the NFL competed in everything from minor league baseball to disc golf and virtual football, was last seen in the World Series of Poker Main Event last month, where he suffered an agonizing defeat on Day 5.
Hill, 40, was a fan favorite during his football career for his versatility but has struggled to find success in his more recent ventures. Here’s hoping he can overcome this latest setback.
December 1, 2035
March 4, 2044
By Asher Raines
When I walk into the basketball gym at the Idaho Falls YMCA, it’s 90 minutes to game time. At 6 pm, the first rec league game of the night is scheduled to tip-off. But for now, there’s only one man on the court, methodically going through his practice routine in such an effortless manner that one would think he had refined and executed it daily over the course of one thousand years. The truth isn’t far off.
You can find him here most days, whether that be just getting shots up or playing in one of three leagues on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Tonight is the 35 and older league, but on other days he’ll be playing against competition half his age or younger. Everyone who works here or simply works out here knows him by name and greets him as he walks in. That isn’t a surprise — in this town, everyone knows Taysom Hill. If you’ve been a sports fan for a while, you might too.
A quarter-century ago, Hill was one of the NFL’s most unique and exciting players. After going undrafted in 2017, Hill began his career as an impact player on special teams despite having played quarterback in college for BYU. Over the next few seasons, he would gain a reputation as a Swiss Army player who could line up any offensive skill position, as a special teamer on both sides of the ball, and even kick block teams. A coach’s dream, Hill was once pegged as the successor to Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees for the Saints before losing the backup job and requesting a trade.
“New Orleans, man. Those were probably the best years of my life,” he tells me. “I should’ve never left. It was all downhill after that.”
Less than two years later, Hill was out of the NFL and about to venture on a grand tour of the sports world, searching for success wherever he had a chance to find it. He was a promising minor league baseball prospect but couldn’t make up for lost time. The same was true for his brief track and field career, where he attempted to make the 2024 Summer Olympics in the long jump.
“That one really broke me,” he confesses. “It was the moment when I realized that I was never going to be on top of the world like I had always dreamed. I already wasn’t good enough, and from that point on, there were only going to be younger, more talented athletes. That’s when I started to get desperate. I just wanted to be known as a champion, really. For other people to recognize the greatness I knew was inside me was the only way I could feel good about myself.”
So he took up disc golf and had another crack at his football dream with the Virtual Football League. Neither ended well. He nearly struck it big playing poker, but the downswings only accelerated what was becoming inevitable, and shortly thereafter he entered rehab.
“In hindsight, I had already made it. Every kid dreams of being a professional athlete, but almost no one actually does it. Not only did I get to play in the NFL, I got to do basically everything. I was immensely lucky. I’m sure everyone was proud of me, but for whatever reason, it wasn’t enough. Each time I couldn’t be the very best was like another gunshot, and eventually, I just collapsed.”
That’s when he started to focus on what really mattered. Hill moved his family back to his home state of Idaho. He gave up dreams of world championships and gold medals for making an impact on the local community, where he found the satisfaction he had been missing.
He also took up basketball, another sport he had played in high school (seriously, this guy has done everything), and has played on this court for more than a decade.
“I just find basketball so relaxing. It’s one of those sports you can play by yourself and just be alone with your thoughts or completely zone out. And then on league nights, I still love the competition. I’m 53 now, and I’m going to try to keep playing as long as I can. The guys keep me young, and if they’re not locked in, I can still take over a game.”
As I watched Hill’s team earn a hard-fought victory, I couldn’t help but notice how much fun he appeared to be having, joking around with the guys while knocking down mid-range jumper after mid-range jumper. For someone who’s career narrative had been about pressure, there were no signs of pressure. Nothing needed to happen as long as he could enjoy what did.
“I can tell you one thing about Taysom Hill,” says David McCullough, Hill’s teammate. “Through all the ups and downs, he’s never stopped working. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen someone as dedicated as Taysom. Even now, he rarely takes a day off. I have so much respect for him. And he’s a great guy.”
It may not have been the road the Hill who played for the Saints had expected, but it was one heck of a journey, and Hill seems pleased with the destination.
“I’ve learned so much over the years, and now I’m just trying to enjoy every day.”
Asher Raines Stories
An Overindulgence of Madness
Taysom Hill Plays Other Sports
The Loophole Owner
Asher’s Radio Interview (a follow-up to The Loophole Owner)
For All-Time’s Sake
A Grand Goodbye
