Sean Payton to explore Taysom Hill reunion with Denver Broncos
Aug 1, 2026, 2:15 PM | Updated: Aug 3, 2026, 11:19 am
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - OCTOBER 17: Head coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos speaks with Taysom Hill #7 of the New Orleans Saints prior to a game at Caesars Superdome on October 17, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Gus Stark/Getty Images)
(Photo by Gus Stark/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – Could Taysom Hill reunite with former head coach Sean Payton in Denver?
The answer, according to the head coach himself, is: maybe.
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton told NFL Network on Saturday that the team “will explore” bringing in Hill, the versatile veteran who spent nine seasons as the centerpiece gadget player in Payton’s New Orleans offense.
RELATED: Former BYU star Taysom Hill says farewell to New Orleans Saints
Broncos Coach Sean Payton told @cfrelund Cynthia Frelund and me today that the Broncos will explore bringing in free agent tight end Taysom Hill, who played for Payton with the Saints.
— Steve Wyche (@wyche89) August 1, 2026
For Denver, the fit is obvious. Payton has repeatedly tried and failed to fill the joker role in his offense since arriving in 2023 — a position he designed around Hill’s skill set in New Orleans. Plugging the original joker into the system could give third-year quarterback Bo Nix a safety valve and short-yardage closer the Broncos have lacked.
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Who is Taysom Hill?
The Pocatello, Idaho, native starred at BYU from 2012 to 2016, throwing for 6,929 yards and 43 touchdowns and rushing for 2,815 yards and 32 scores.
He went undrafted in 2017 and signed with the Green Bay Packers, who waived him before the regular season. The Saints claimed him — and never let go.
In New Orleans, Hill became the definition of a Swiss Army knife, lining up at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end and on special-teams coverage units.
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He is the only player in the Super Bowl era to accumulate 1,000-plus passing yards, 1,000-plus rushing yards and 1,000-plus receiving yards in a career. He is also just the fifth player in NFL history with 10-plus passing touchdowns, 10-plus rushing touchdowns and 10-plus receiving touchdowns — joining Hall of Famers Frank Gifford, Red Grange, Charley Trippi and Jimmy Conzelman.
That résumé was built almost entirely under one coach. If Payton gets his way, the next chapter may be written in Denver.
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
