Question What More Must Taysom Hill Do Before He Retires To Be Considered An NFL Hall Of Fame Player? (3 Viewers)

[FlySaint]

I think Taysom has a shot. Remember, there’s lots of HOF players that are not at Brady, Brees, and Manning’s level. The bar is not at that level. Devin Hester is a more apt comparison and I think Hill compares very well in that scenario.

 

[tinman]

Play a complete season? I was curious, and according to the Googles there are no players in the HOF that never played a whole season.

He played 16 games in 18, 19, 20, 22, 23(missed 1 in the 17 game season)! According to me you missed the boat completely, no matter Google's assertion that doesn't apply to Taysom.
He has missed a grand total of NINE games in his NFL career!
So there's that...

 

[2024InjuryApocalypse]

Devin Hester is 2x All-Decade, 4x All-Pro, and 4x Pro Bowler.

Frank Gifford is 1x NFL MVP, 1x All-Decade, 6x All-Pro, 8x Pro Bowler, along with a SB championship.

All-Pro and Pro Bowl accolades matter the most for HOF induction. Thats the main reason Jahri Evans is near HOF induction. Jahri was recognized as one of the NFL’s best Guards during his entire prime by receiving the highest positional honors in several All-Pro selections.

Taysom has unique / / / slash records but doesn’t have any AP/PB accolades. He has to be recognized as one of the league’s best players for an entire season through APs and PBs. He won’t have a legitimate case for the NFL HOF without the accolades. He would need 1300+ rushing yard seasons or 15-20+ rushing TD seasons for All-Pro consideration. It may be too late for him to have a shot at those awards since he doesn’t get enough rushing touches to rack up higher numbers. He realistically has about 2-3 seasons left before he retires.

Taysom might have a chance for finalist consideration if he can somehow finish his career as a top 20-30 all time NFL rushing TD scorer. He needs 48 rushing TDs to reach 20th, 43 rushing TDs to reach 25th.
Multiple sub 20+ rushing TD seasons before he retires may also put him in the conversation.

Good rundown. Aside from multiple Pro Bowl and AP selections, the majority of hall of fame guys have an all-decade selection, too (good news for Jahri and Cam down the road even if it may take them a while).

 

[bobad]

If he keeps up that winning smile for 3 more years, he's in!

 

[longtime lurker]

He will eventually be in our Saints Hall of Fame and ring of honor. I think that’s pretty cool in itself.

 

[lilvipa221]

I think Taysom has a shot. Remember, there’s lots of HOF players that are not at Brady, Brees, and Manning’s level. The bar is not at that level. Devin Hester is a more apt comparison and I think Hill compares very well in that scenario.

Absolutely incorrect. Devin Hester broke records and has won plenty of honors as an NFL player. Taysom doesn't have anything Hester has done. Hester is the best returner in NFL history. If Taysom was justifiably the best at something and had a ton of random stats then yes but he doesn't.

 

[2024InjuryApocalypse]

Absolutely incorrect. Devin Hester broke records and has won plenty of honors as an NFL player. Taysom doesn't have anything Hester has done. Hester is the best returner in NFL history. If Taysom was justifiably the best at something and had a ton of random stats then yes but he doesn't.

Yep. 4 Pro Bowls, 3 All Pros, and an all-decade team selection for Hester. Zero of any of those accolades for Taysom. Their hall-of-fame resumes are not comparable. Taysom's best attribute is his rushing but even then his rushing numbers (never higher than 575 yards in a season) are nowhere near HOF level. He needs to have a lot of rushing games like the 2022 Seahawks game or this year's Browns game to get consideration. He has a total of three 100-yard rushing games in his entire career.

His passing stats aren't going to make anyone outside of this board say he's a hall of famer (11 TDs to 9 INTs, never started a full season as QB1). He's improved as a receiver but his stats there aren't going to catch HOF voters' eyes either (best season 33 catches for 291 yards). He's a good special teams player, has blocked a few kicks and hustles as a gunner, but...hasn't made a pro bowl for special teams either.

If a current Saints player has a shot at the HOF for all-purpose contributions, it's Kamara (ROY, 5 Pro Bowls, way more rushing & receiving yards & TDs than Taysom).

 

[St. Geezy]

He would have had to accomplish multiple seasons with several games like the one he just had, where we just used Taysom Hill cheese all game long. These efforts would have also needed to have led us to a championship or two with him either having a signature game-deciding championship moment and/or SB MVP. The resume would have also benefited from a couple of 1,000 scrimmage yard seasons.

Unfortunately we figured out way too late that he could be a centerpiece featured player that doesn’t necessarily have to take snaps from the QB position in order to display his dominance.

He will be one of the many forgotten “Hall of Very Good” players the NFL has had over the years.

 

[St. Geezy]

Go look at Jamaal Charles, Anquan Boldin, and Priest Holmes’ Hall of Fame resumes, and even they aren’t sniffing it.

That probably gives us our answer.

 

[44slayer]

I appreciate the layout of his case. It's interesting for sure.

But he isn't sniffing the HoF. Or even close. He might make an initial list, but he wont get past the cut down to 50.

You look at the 2025 nominations, there were 167, and there's some names on there that just don't cut HoF mustard or even remotely close (Chris Warren, Thomas Jones, Muhsin Muhammed, etc). And not to take away from those guys as they were all solid, none of them get a 2nd look when the cut down to 50 happens. I can certainly see Taysom Hill in the initial group at some point.

But for actual serious consideration, 3 things will make him a no go. 1) He should've ditched the QB ruse sooner and embraced what he is 2) He hasn't played enough, and doesnt have A season (much less multiple) where he stayed healthy and played enough to be a serious contender and 3) His rookie season was at age 27.

Now #2, maybe he does enough things that no one else does that it can cover up his oft injured status. But his only path to the Hall would've been if he was doing what he is doing this year, a bit healthier, and when he was much younger.

But, the NFL records are just a product of him doing things no one is doing. Which would've have been his case for the Hall if he met at least 2 of the 3 things I listed as his detractors. Hasn't done it enough, and long enough.

I do like the NFL records: 1st NFL player to score a rushing touchdown from the right hash at the 14 yard line on a Thursday after completing 3 cartwheels on a Tuesday following a win against the Panthers before Thanksgiving in a leap year.

 

[sfidc3]

Forgive me for my cynicism, but Rickey Jackson was ranked in the top 10 amongst NFL defensive players all-time when he finally retired for good in 1997 preseason and yet he still had to wait for a dozen years until his achievements and career success was finally acknowledged (Saints having a SB run in 2009 helped I'm sure). Sam Mills was one of the most dominant, well-liked, effective run-stopping MLB's during his career and yet it took over 20 years, nearly 15 years after his sad, tragically-early death in 2005 for him to be inducted.

Above is the reason, long ago I could never take the NFL HOF seriously.....it's probably as much about who a player played for as what the player actually accomplished individually......If Rickey played for the Giants, the Cowboys, the 9ers? First ballot HOFer that is considered one of the greatest at his position in history.......Also Sam Mills was ever bit as good and maybe better than Mike Singletary.....

While I would stop short of calling the HOF an absolute joke, it's closer to that then fair IMO.....

 

[AARPSaint]

All comparisons to TH are essentially irrelevant because no previous NFL player has excelled at so many different positions. What this means in terms of HoF chances is unknown. There have been zero players who did what TH is doing. So how do we make comparisons?

It’s a bit like a realtor trying to price a house. Not in the business, but I know they do “comps.” But what if the house in question is unique within the area? And let’s say said property hasn’t sold in many years. Very difficult to price it because the data is so scanty. And that is what we have in Taysom Hill: a unique situation.

 

[SaintsSpringBayou]

Personally, I think he has done enough to make it. How long it will take depends on the pageantry of the NFL.
No one in the modern NFL has done anything close to what he's done and broke the records while doing it.
He has a portfolio of an entire NFL team wrapped up in one person and the kicker is, he's pretty good at it, all of it. And the other kicker is - he can probably be a kicker.
Taysom's position is Football Player. An anomaly. I'm not sure if we'll ever see this kinda thing again.
Sure, there will be some who come close, but most won't even make it 2 years trying to do what he does.
We're blessed to have such a thing. Enjoy it.

 

[tinman]

I appreciate the layout of his case. It's interesting for sure.

But he isn't sniffing the HoF. Or even close. He might make an initial list, but he wont get past the cut down to 50.

You look at the 2025 nominations, there were 167, and there's some names on there that just don't cut HoF mustard or even remotely close (Chris Warren, Thomas Jones, Muhsin Muhammed, etc). And not to take away from those guys as they were all solid, none of them get a 2nd look when the cut down to 50 happens. I can certainly see Taysom Hill in the initial group at some point.

But for actual serious consideration, 3 things will make him a no go. 1) He should've ditched the QB ruse sooner and embraced what he is 2) He hasn't played enough, and doesnt have A season (much less multiple) where he stayed healthy and played enough to be a serious contender and 3) His rookie season was at age 27.

Now #2, maybe he does enough things that no one else does that it can cover up his oft injured status. But his only path to the Hall would've been if he was doing what he is doing this year, a bit healthier, and when he was much younger.

But, the NFL records are just a product of him doing things no one is doing. Which would've have been his case for the Hall if he met at least 2 of the 3 things I listed as his detractors. Hasn't done it enough, and long enough.

I do like the NFL records: 1st NFL player to score a rushing touchdown from the right hash at the 14 yard line on a Thursday after completing 3 cartwheels on a Tuesday following a win against the Panthers before Thanksgiving in a leap year.

#1 is BS
Ditching his QB ruse? Do you know his record as a starting QB? Is it a limited sample size? Sure, but when called upon, he came through!
#2 is BS!
Can you tell me how many games Hill has missed in his entire career, due to injury?

I don't have a say, in anything having to do w/the Hall, but Taysom is performing at a level not seen since Jim Thorpe! Payton saw his potential but never used him the way he should have. He performed at a stellar level in everything ever asked of him. He was criminally underused.