Peyton Hillis
Encyclopedia
Hillis was selected by the Denver Broncos
in the seventh round (227th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft
.
. He played in his first NFL regular season game on September 8, 2008, gaining 14 yards on three rushing attempts and four yards on one reception as part of a 41–14 Broncos road victory over the Oakland Raiders
. Later in the season, he recorded his first career 100-yard receiving game with seven catches for 116 yards and a touchdown in a 26–17 Broncos home loss to the Miami Dolphins
on November 2, 2008.
Following an injury to Ryan Torain
in the Broncos 34–30 comeback road victory over the Cleveland Browns
, Hillis was named Denver's starting running back
. His first start at the position netted him 44 yards and two touchdowns on only 10 carries as part of a 24–20 road victory over the Atlanta Falcons
. Two weeks later, he recorded his first 100-yard rushing game with 129 yards and a touchdown on 22 attempts in a 34–17 road victory over the New York Jets
. The performance earned Hillis multiple honors including being named Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week as well as FedEx Ground Player of the Week
alongside Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler
, who was named NFL Air Player of the Week. The string of victories and accolades built up anticipation among Broncos faithful for Hillis to continue as running back for the rest of the season. However, the season already plagued with running back injuries continued, with Hillis suffering a season-ending injury in a 24–17 home win over the Kansas City Chiefs
. Coming down from an acrobatic catch of a Cutler
pass with his right foot planted, Hillis was hit from both sides by Chiefs' free safety Jarrad Page
and cornerback Brandon Carr
. The hit doubled Hillis over, causing a 2–3 inch tear in his right hamstring
behind the knee, which forced him to miss the rest of the season. Despite his limited playing time, Hillis ended the 2008 season as the Broncos' leading rusher with 343 yards and 5 touchdowns and was expected to return as a significant offensive presence for the 2009 season.
With the loss of Hillis, depth at the running back position was practically nil and the Broncos fell to 8–8 on the season and failed to make the play-offs. Due to a lack of post-season berths in recent years, Broncos Coach Mike Shanahan
was fired during the off-season and replaced with Josh McDaniels
. McDaniels' first order of business was to recruit new talent to fit his playing scheme, which involved adding depth to the running back position with first round draft pick
Knowshon Moreno
and free agent
Correll Buckhalter
.
Racial discrimination has also been mentioned as a potential cause as Hillis is one of a very limited number of white
running backs in the NFL. In a post-season interview, Hillis expressed disappointment over his playtime on the season, but remained tight-lipped about the controversy, maintaining that conversations between him and McDaniels were "friendly". In the same interview, Hillis was quoted as saying his future in Denver was "up in the air". On March 14, 2010, the Broncos traded Hillis to the Cleveland Browns
along with a sixth-round pick in the 2011 Draft and a conditional pick in the 2012 Draft in exchange for quarterback Brady Quinn
.
distributed snaps evenly between Hillis, Jerome Harrison
, James Davis
, Chris Jennings
, and Montario Hardesty
(upon returning from injury). Hillis' best pre-season rushing game came in Week 2 against the Rams when, getting the majority of the snaps, Hillis ran for 51 yards on 12 carries (4.3 ypc).
As the regular season began, Hillis' start in Cleveland began much the same way as it did in Denver, listed down the depth chart at both tight end and fullback. Also like his start in Denver, early season injuries to Harrison
and Davis
thrust Hillis into the starting spot for the Week 3 game versus the Baltimore Ravens. The result was a 144 yard (6.5 ypc) romp against the Ravens' staunch rushing defense, which allowed just 3.4 yards per carry in the 2009 season. Hillis also added 36 yards on 7 receptions for a total of 180 all-purpose yards. The next week, Hillis again ran for over 100 yards at home against the Cincinnati Bengals, leading the Browns to their first victory in the 2010 regular season. A thigh injury in practice limited Hillis in Week 5 against the Atlanta Falcons, though Hillis did add a 19-yard reception for a touchdown, making him the first Browns player since Greg Pruitt
to record touchdowns in five consecutive games, though Pruitt's came all through rushing. Coming off a bye week
in Week 8, Hillis set career marks in both rushing and all-purpose yards against the New England Patriots
in Week 9, finishing the game with 184 rushing yards (6.5 ypc) and 220 yards of total offense. Following this game, Hillis was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for Week 9, the first Cleveland Browns running back to win that honor since Eric Metcalf
in 1992. In week 12, Hillis joined Marshall Faulk
as the only players to have achieved more than 130 yards rushing, 3 rushing touchdowns, and 60 yards receiving in a single game. On December 12, 2010, Peyton Hillis went over the 1,000 yard mark on an 8 yard rush, that was preceded by a 25 yard rush. He became the first white running back since Craig James to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season.
Due to his breakout season, Peyton Hillis was the Browns finalist in the Madden NFL 12
cover vote. After upsetting Ray Rice
, Matt Ryan
, and Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers
, he advanced to the finals where he faced off against Michael Vick
. On April 27, 2011, Hillis was announced as the cover athlete for Madden NFL 12
, beating out Vick with 66 percent of the vote.
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the seventh round (227th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft
2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
.
2008 Season
At the start of the 2008 season, Hillis was listed as the Broncos' starting fullbackFullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
. He played in his first NFL regular season game on September 8, 2008, gaining 14 yards on three rushing attempts and four yards on one reception as part of a 41–14 Broncos road victory over the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Later in the season, he recorded his first career 100-yard receiving game with seven catches for 116 yards and a touchdown in a 26–17 Broncos home loss to the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on November 2, 2008.
Following an injury to Ryan Torain
Ryan Torain
Ryan Devon Torain is an American football running back for the Washington Redskins. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona State.-Early years:...
in the Broncos 34–30 comeback road victory over the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Hillis was named Denver's starting running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
. His first start at the position netted him 44 yards and two touchdowns on only 10 carries as part of a 24–20 road victory over the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Two weeks later, he recorded his first 100-yard rushing game with 129 yards and a touchdown on 22 attempts in a 34–17 road victory over the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The performance earned Hillis multiple honors including being named Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week as well as FedEx Ground Player of the Week
FedEx Air & Ground NFL Players of the Week
Every week during the NFL season, six finalists are chosen for the FedEx Air & Ground NFL Players of the Week award, 3 nominated as the FedEx Air player and 3 nominated as the FedEx Ground player , online at...
alongside Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler
Jay Cutler (American football)
Jay Christopher Cutler is a quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played football at Vanderbilt University. Cutler began his professional football career with the Denver Broncos, who selected him as the 11th overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft...
, who was named NFL Air Player of the Week. The string of victories and accolades built up anticipation among Broncos faithful for Hillis to continue as running back for the rest of the season. However, the season already plagued with running back injuries continued, with Hillis suffering a season-ending injury in a 24–17 home win over the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
. Coming down from an acrobatic catch of a Cutler
Jay Cutler (American football)
Jay Christopher Cutler is a quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played football at Vanderbilt University. Cutler began his professional football career with the Denver Broncos, who selected him as the 11th overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft...
pass with his right foot planted, Hillis was hit from both sides by Chiefs' free safety Jarrad Page
Jarrad Page
Jarrad Matthew Page is an American football safety for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
and cornerback Brandon Carr
Brandon Carr
Brandon Carey Carr is an American football cornerback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League-College career:...
. The hit doubled Hillis over, causing a 2–3 inch tear in his right hamstring
Hamstring
In human anatomy, the hamstring refers to any one of the three posterior thigh muscles, or to the tendons that make up the borders of the space behind the knee. In modern anatomical contexts, however, they usually refer to the posterior thigh muscles, or the tendons of the semitendinosus, the...
behind the knee, which forced him to miss the rest of the season. Despite his limited playing time, Hillis ended the 2008 season as the Broncos' leading rusher with 343 yards and 5 touchdowns and was expected to return as a significant offensive presence for the 2009 season.
With the loss of Hillis, depth at the running back position was practically nil and the Broncos fell to 8–8 on the season and failed to make the play-offs. Due to a lack of post-season berths in recent years, Broncos Coach Mike Shanahan
Mike Shanahan
Michael Edward "Mike" Shanahan is the 28th and current head coach of the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Shanahan also holds the title of Vice President of Football Operations with the Redskins, giving him full control over player personnel with the team. Shanahan previously...
was fired during the off-season and replaced with Josh McDaniels
Josh McDaniels
Josh McDaniels is the former head coach of the Denver Broncos and currently the offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams. He previously served as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots...
. McDaniels' first order of business was to recruit new talent to fit his playing scheme, which involved adding depth to the running back position with first round draft pick
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
Knowshon Moreno
Knowshon Moreno
Knowshon Rockwell Moreno is an American football running back for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was selected 12th overall in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Broncos. He played college football at the University of Georgia.-Early years:Moreno grew up in Belford, a neighborhood in...
and free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
Correll Buckhalter
Correll Buckhalter
Correll Buckhalter is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska....
.
2009 Season
Despite rising to the starting fullback position and becoming the leading rusher the previous year, Hillis had only 54 yards on 13 carries in the 2009 season. As the Broncos offense collapsed late-season and Hillis still saw no significant playtime, fans began speculating about a disagreement between Hillis and McDaniels as had been the case with other Shanahan carry-overs.Racial discrimination has also been mentioned as a potential cause as Hillis is one of a very limited number of white
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
running backs in the NFL. In a post-season interview, Hillis expressed disappointment over his playtime on the season, but remained tight-lipped about the controversy, maintaining that conversations between him and McDaniels were "friendly". In the same interview, Hillis was quoted as saying his future in Denver was "up in the air". On March 14, 2010, the Broncos traded Hillis to the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
along with a sixth-round pick in the 2011 Draft and a conditional pick in the 2012 Draft in exchange for quarterback Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
.
2010 Season
Hillis' arrival in Cleveland was met with anticipation after the results of his active stint in Denver during the 2008 season. During the 2010 preseason, the BrownsCleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
distributed snaps evenly between Hillis, Jerome Harrison
Jerome Harrison
-Cleveland Browns:Harrison was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft.In his first season he made ten appearances including one start. He made his NFL debut against the New Orleans Saints on September 10, 2006...
, James Davis
James Davis (running back)
-Cleveland Browns:On September 12, Davis was involved in a minor one-car accident and suffered a head injury.He was briefly hospitalized and released a few hours later....
, Chris Jennings
Chris Jennings
Chris Jennings is a gridiron football running back who is currently a free agent. He was signed as a undrafted free agent by the Montreal Alouettes in 2008...
, and Montario Hardesty
Montario Hardesty
-External links:* *...
(upon returning from injury). Hillis' best pre-season rushing game came in Week 2 against the Rams when, getting the majority of the snaps, Hillis ran for 51 yards on 12 carries (4.3 ypc).
As the regular season began, Hillis' start in Cleveland began much the same way as it did in Denver, listed down the depth chart at both tight end and fullback. Also like his start in Denver, early season injuries to Harrison
Jerome Harrison
-Cleveland Browns:Harrison was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft.In his first season he made ten appearances including one start. He made his NFL debut against the New Orleans Saints on September 10, 2006...
and Davis
James Davis (running back)
-Cleveland Browns:On September 12, Davis was involved in a minor one-car accident and suffered a head injury.He was briefly hospitalized and released a few hours later....
thrust Hillis into the starting spot for the Week 3 game versus the Baltimore Ravens. The result was a 144 yard (6.5 ypc) romp against the Ravens' staunch rushing defense, which allowed just 3.4 yards per carry in the 2009 season. Hillis also added 36 yards on 7 receptions for a total of 180 all-purpose yards. The next week, Hillis again ran for over 100 yards at home against the Cincinnati Bengals, leading the Browns to their first victory in the 2010 regular season. A thigh injury in practice limited Hillis in Week 5 against the Atlanta Falcons, though Hillis did add a 19-yard reception for a touchdown, making him the first Browns player since Greg Pruitt
Greg Pruitt
Gregory Donald Pruitt is a former American football running back in the NFL from 1973 through 1984. He was selected to five Pro Bowls, four as a member of the Cleveland Browns and one as a member of the Los Angeles Raiders, the last one as a kick returner...
to record touchdowns in five consecutive games, though Pruitt's came all through rushing. Coming off a bye week
Bye (sports)
A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing...
in Week 8, Hillis set career marks in both rushing and all-purpose yards against the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
in Week 9, finishing the game with 184 rushing yards (6.5 ypc) and 220 yards of total offense. Following this game, Hillis was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for Week 9, the first Cleveland Browns running back to win that honor since Eric Metcalf
Eric Metcalf
Eric Quinn Metcalf is a former American football running back and wide receiver in the National Football League who played for the Browns, Falcons, Chargers, Cardinals, Panthers, Redskins and Packers...
in 1992. In week 12, Hillis joined Marshall Faulk
Marshall Faulk
Marshall William Faulk is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League. He is currently an analyst for NFL Total Access, Thursday Night Football, and NFL GameDay Morning on the NFL Network...
as the only players to have achieved more than 130 yards rushing, 3 rushing touchdowns, and 60 yards receiving in a single game. On December 12, 2010, Peyton Hillis went over the 1,000 yard mark on an 8 yard rush, that was preceded by a 25 yard rush. He became the first white running back since Craig James to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season.
Due to his breakout season, Peyton Hillis was the Browns finalist in the Madden NFL 12
Madden NFL 12
Madden NFL 12 is an American football video game based on the National Football League published by EA Sports and developed by EA Tiburon. It was released on August 30, 2011 in North America and September 2, 2011 in Europe...
cover vote. After upsetting Ray Rice
Ray Rice
Raymell Maurice Rice is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Ravens in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Rutgers. He is currently ranked as the Baltimore Ravens third all-time rusher in...
, Matt Ryan
Matt Ryan
Matt Ryan is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing for Villacher SV of the Austrian Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, and Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Charles Rodgers is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . Rodgers was selected in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Packers...
, he advanced to the finals where he faced off against Michael Vick
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...
. On April 27, 2011, Hillis was announced as the cover athlete for Madden NFL 12
Madden NFL 12
Madden NFL 12 is an American football video game based on the National Football League published by EA Sports and developed by EA Tiburon. It was released on August 30, 2011 in North America and September 2, 2011 in Europe...
, beating out Vick with 66 percent of the vote.
Professional statistics
Accurate as of January 3, 2011| Regular season | Rushing | Receiving | Kickoff Returns | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | |||
| 2008 2008 NFL season The 2008 NFL season was the 89th regular season of the National Football League, themed with the slogan "Believe in Now."Super Bowl XLIII, the league's championship game, was at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on February 1, 2009, with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming out victorious over the... |
Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
12 | 6 | 68 | 343 | 5.0 | 19 | 5 | 14 | 179 | 12.8 | 47 | 1 | 4 | 65 | 16.3 | 25 | 0 | |||
| 2009 2009 NFL season The 2009 NFL season was the 90th regular season of the National Football League.The preseason started with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 9, 2009, and the regular season began September 10. The season ended with Super Bowl XLIV, the league's championship game, on February 7, 2010 at... |
Denver Broncos | 14 | 2 | 13 | 54 | 4.2 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 19 | 4.8 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 134 | 22.3 | 24 | 0 | |||
| 2010 2010 NFL season The 2010 NFL season was the 91st regular season of the National Football League.The regular season began with the NFL Kickoff game on NBC on Thursday, September 9, at the Louisiana Superdome as the New Orleans Saints, Super Bowl XLIV champions, defeated the Minnesota Vikings 14–9.Tom Brady,... |
Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
16 | 14 | 270 | 1177 | 4.4 | 48 | 11 | 61 | 477 | 7.8 | 47 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| Regular season totals | 42 | 22 | 351 | 1574 | 4.5 | 48 | 17 | 79 | 675 | 8.5 | 47 | 3 | 10 | 199 | 19.9 | 25 | 0 | ||||
Awards and honors
- Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week – Week 13 (2008)
- FedEx Ground Player of the WeekFedEx Air & Ground NFL Players of the WeekEvery week during the NFL season, six finalists are chosen for the FedEx Air & Ground NFL Players of the Week award, 3 nominated as the FedEx Air player and 3 nominated as the FedEx Ground player , online at...
– Week 13 (2008), Week 9 & 12 (2010) - AFC Offensive Player of the Week – Week 9 (2010)
- Madden 2012Madden NFL 12Madden NFL 12 is an American football video game based on the National Football League published by EA Sports and developed by EA Tiburon. It was released on August 30, 2011 in North America and September 2, 2011 in Europe...
Cover Athlete (2011) - His hometown of Conway named its youth football field "Peyton Hillis Field" in his honor (2011)