The New Orleans Saints are yet again fearing the worst when it comes to an injury to one of their star players, this time Taysom Hill.
The Saints' do-it-all tight end was carted off the field during the Saints' final offensive drive of a 21-14 loss to the Rams after taking a big hit while converting a 4th down. After testing the injury has been confirmed as a season-ending knee injury, according to a report from ESPN's Adam Schefter. Specific details regarding the nature of the injury were not immediately available.
Saints head coach Darren Rizzi spoke after the game and couldn't provide any updates, though he expected to know more when he addressed the media on Monday afternoon. The Saints also lost Nick Saldiveri with a knee injury on the previous drive, another injury that looked significant and required the player to be carted off the field.
"That’s the worst," quarterback Derek Carr said after the game. "I don’t know anything ... but just as a brother, you know, as a friend, you know, because it’s bigger than football at that moment."
Hill has been having one of his best statistical seasons despite missing three games due to rib and chest injuries, rolling up 278 rushing yards and 6 TDs on 39 attempts and another 187 yards on 23 catches.
Fans could be heard chanting "Taysom, Taysom, Taysom" as he was carted off the field and waved to the crowd. The Saints drive continued and ultimately got down inside the 10 yard line before ending with Jared Verse knocking the ball out of Carr's hands on 4th down. Carr said he didn't believe the injury rattled the team in that sense, but it did rob the team of one of its offensive weapons in that critical moment.
"I feel like we were able to compartmentalize it, honestly, you know, it’s such a violent sport, you know, like, your mind can’t be anywhere else but on your assignment and so I thought our focus, just being honest, I thought our focus was fine and was good and just looking at the guys in the huddle and the mindset of still just trying to win and really ... the rallying cry is 'let’s do it for them, let’s get this win for them,' and so I thought our guys were really focused.”
The injury is a latest in a series of blows that has had a significant impact on the 2024 season, one that's featured a 7-game losing streak and a head coach firing already. The Saints were playing in this game without either of their two starting WRs in Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, both of whom were on IR, as well as starting center Erik McCoy who was missing his 8th game due to issues stemming from a groin injury. The Saints are also without the two starting Week 1 cornerbacks with Paulson Adebo on IR and Marshon Lattimore traded to the Commanders. The Saints also had to play three games without Carr during that 7-game skid due to an oblique injury.
It's all coalesced into a 4-8 record that's got the season teetering seemingly lost, even if the math doesn't have the Saints eliminated quite yet. The Saints' will next hit the road for the first time in more than a month where they'll face an equally damaged Giants team in Week 14.
This article has been updated from its original version.
