It’s not Taysom Hill at the helm. He is still an important player for the Saints, though.
With a 30-yard touchdown catch on Monday, the utility man from New Orleans established an NFL record.
Hill lined up in the slot and made a wide cut toward the left sideline on a pass play when the Saints were facing a second-and-9 situation against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second quarter.
he escaped safety Keanu Neal on a failed zone coverage as cornerback Jamel Dean followed tight end Adam Trautman through the middle.
Andy Dalton then threw a 30-yard touchdown ball to Hill as he raced down the sideline, giving the Saints a 7-3 lead.
Hill’s touchdown became the first time in the Super Bowl era that a player had scored nine or more touchdowns as a runner, receiver, and quarterback.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Hall of Famer Frank Gifford accomplished the feat while playing for the New York Giants.
Hill has eight receiving touchdowns, nine passing touchdowns, and 21 rushing touchdowns when the game started on Monday.
Hill has only had a few opportunities behind centre in 2022, with 14 passing attempts, after starting nine games at quarterback in each of the previous two seasons under former head coach Sean Payton.
As the Saints’ second-leading rusher with 409 yards and a team-high six total touchdowns coming into Monday’s game, he has primarily contributed on the ground.
The Buccaneers discovered the hard way that he also poses a pass-catching threat and is a player who always draws the defense’s attention.
Keanu Neal’s crucial pass breakup late in the fourth quarter, which helped them rally for a thrilling 17-16 victory, showed him they were paying attention.