One of the New Orleans Saints' biggest fears came to fruition in Week 13. Taysom Hill was forced to leave their loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the fourth quarter.
Fans and everyone involved remained hopeful that it would not be serious, but unfortunately, that's not the case for one of the most beloved players in the NFL.
Update on Taysom Hill
Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi confirmed that Taysom Hill will miss the rest of the 2024 season. He said it's a torn ACL for Hill, but he will still likely get a second opinion for a full diagnosis of the injury and potential recovery routes.
Interior offensive lineman Nick Saldiveri will also miss time with a knee injury. Rizzi was unaware if it is season-ending yet, though. He'll get more tests and have more discussions.
Taysom's future
Hill is under contract through next season. After that, there is a void year in 2026 and 2027.
Accordingly, Hill's future in New Orleans is definitely unknown. With a torn ACL, it's possible that he would not be able to play at all next season.
At the least, he would probably miss the first chunk of the season, even if his recovery goes about as well as possible. It's difficult to ever doubt Taysom, but that's just the realistic aspect of this sort of serious injury in the NFL.
Not to mention, an injury settlement could be on the table. If Hill is not going to be able to suit up for most of or any of next season, the two sides could discuss a different avenue to change his current contract. As of now, he would not be under contract to play for New Orleans after 2025, anyway.
Keep in mind that he will also turn 35 next year, so "Father Time" continues to creep up.
Hill is one of the most impressive overall athletes in pro sports, but this wrench could change his future in the short and long-term for him with the Saints. Only time will tell.
