The Rams were dealt a major blow on Sunday, when they found out QB Sam Bradford, coming off an ACL injury last year which ended his season, once again tore his ACL in a 33-14 win over the Browns. It was the Rams’ third preseason game, and their first win of the 2014 preseason.
With Bradford out for the year, coach Jeff Fisher has stated the reigns of the team are now in the hands of Shaun Hill.
Hill, 34, has never been a franchise quarterback, but that shouldn’t detract what he can bring to the table. Going undrafted in 2002, Hill signed with the Minnesota Vikings, and was their 3rd-string quarterback the entire season.
In 2003, Hill went to the Amsterdam Admirals in the now-defunct NFL Europe, in order to improve and get more experience. That season, he was the league leader in passing yards. It wasn’t until the 2007 season with the 49ers that he got his first legit chance to play. On December 9th, 2007, after veteran Trent Dilfer suffered a concussion, Hill made his regular season debut. Facing his former team, the Vikings, he went 22-27 for 181 yards and one touchdown in a loss.
His first start came the following week, with Dilfer out for the season. Against the Bengals on December 15th, Hill went 21-28 for 197, and two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing). The next week, he went 11-24 for 123 yards and three touchdown passes, in a close victory against Tampa Bay. Unfortunately, his season ended in Week 16 of the 2007 season, after he was hit following a pass, injuring his back.
Heading into the 2008 season, despite his strong performances the previous year, Shaun Hill was regulated to a backup role once again, competing against Alex Smith and J.T O’Sullivan. However, after Mike Singletary took over coaching for the 49ers on October 27th, he benched O’Sullivan in favor of Hill. He proceeded to have his best season up to that point, going 181-288 for 2,046 yards, 62.8% completion percentage, 13 TD’s to just 8 INT’s. His total QBR for the season was 87.5.
Another interesting fact is that Shaun Hill was the QB for the 49ers when Isaac Bruce caught his 1000th career reception…in a game against the St. Louis Rams in 2008.
After another successful season, during which he threw for 943 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions, Hill was traded to the Detroit Lions in 2010. It was in Detroit where he brought a veteran presence for young star Matthew Stafford. When Stafford went down in Week 1, Hill was brought in. He went and lead Detroit down the field late, and what seemed to be the game winning touchdown but was later ruled incomplete by a technicality in the NFL rule book, which is now known popularly as the “Calvin Johnson Rule”.
His 2010 season was arguably his best, as he went 257-416, threw for 2,686 yards, 16 TD’s, 12 INT’s, and led the Lions to a 6-10 record, an improvement over their 0-16 season two years before.
Since then, the reps have been few and far in between for Hill, but after the departure of Kellen Clemens this past off-season, the Rams signed him to a one-year deal. He has over a decade’s worth of pro football experience, and has been considered by many to be one of the better backups in the NFL.
But now is his time to shine once again. Bradford’s injury puts his career in jeopardy, and puts his career with the Rams in even greater jeopardy.
As for their new starter, coach Jeff Fisher has assured that Hill is the guy they’re going to stand by for the 2014 season:
“Shaun’s our guy…We believe in him,” said Fisher on Sunday afternoon at Rams Park.
In the toughest division in the NFL, the Rams already have an uphill battle to fight. But with a reliable veteran at the helm, backed by a strong defense and improved running game, the Rams still have a fighting chance.
