Katherine Terrell
METAIRIE, La. — New Orleans Saints tight finish Foster Moreau felt the nerves when he and Taysom Hill walked side-by-side to the center of the sector final Sunday.
Each had been chosen to guide the followers within the pregame “Who Dat” chant, signifying their return after 9 months of rehabbing knee accidents collectively. Hill had additionally been tasked with breaking down the group's huddle previous to the sport, a process often reserved for linebacker Demario Davis.
These gestures have been an indication of the respect the 2 gamers had been granted by the group and followers after getting back from critical knee accidents. Followers have not had a lot to cheer about after the group began the season 0-4, however when Hill and Foster led the mantra, the group on the Caesars Superdome went wild.
They're going to have extra to cheer about beginning on Sunday's house recreation in opposition to the New England Patriots (1 p.m. ET, CBS). Saints coach Kellen Moore mentioned the gamers' roles are anticipated to develop as they get extra practices behind them.
“I assumed they got here out fairly properly, so clearly the extra time on process, the extra we'll be capable to construct these roles for these guys,” Moore mentioned on Monday.
The pair's roles within the 26-14 win in opposition to the New York Giants final week was pretty small by design. That was each to ease them again and likewise as a result of they'd little time in apply with the brand new teaching workers.
“The truth is I've had three days of apply along with his teaching workers and so they've had three days of apply with me,” Hill mentioned final week. “Everybody's nonetheless studying via this course of. I believe it will be a kind of issues that simply evolves via time.”
Hill performed 11 whole snaps (9 on offense and two on particular groups), whereas Moreau performed 30 (22 on offense, eight on particular groups), in response to Tru Media. Virtually all of Moreau's snaps got here as an in-line tight finish and he ran 4 routes with no targets. Hill had six snaps at quarterback, one snap lined up within the backfield, one snap lined up at tight finish and one snap lined up within the slot.
Hill did convert two third downs — one along with his legs on a 2-yard run and one other on a 19-yard go to Juwan Johnson on third-and-2.
Saints broad receiver Rashid Shaheed mentioned after the win that it was “insane” of each gamers to come back again after simply three practices.
“Yeah, not lots of people can try this,” Shaheed mentioned. “So it exhibits how a lot coronary heart and the way a lot braveness they've and the way a lot they love the sport of soccer to have the ability to come again and have an effect on the group, first recreation again.”
However for Moreau and Hill, that wildness was based mostly off a complete offseason of rehab, a lot of it spent collectively. Hill had not performed since he was carted off on the finish of the Saints' recreation in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 2, 2024.
Moreau was injured with lower than two minutes remaining within the season on Jan. 5, 2025. As a result of the damage occurred so late, his whole offseason was rearranged round rehabbing.
QB Taysom for 19 yds to Juwan 🎯
📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/wMNw7quLyL
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) October 5, 2025
That meant a visit to the coaching room every single day for eight and a half months, Moreau mentioned.
“It is brutal, as a result of… rehab is simply ache dosing. It is, ‘Hey, we'll watch out with you. However how a lot can you are taking earlier than your knee says, hey, that you must cease?' And that is powerful,” Moreau mentioned. “That is brutal for anybody. However, I imply, I am extraordinarily pretty compensated, and I am extraordinarily grateful to be right here.”
Moreau, whose locker is subsequent to Hill, jokingly known as him his “PUP brother” after each began the season on the bodily unable to carry out listing. Neither knew if and after they can be getting off that listing, which they have been positioned on when coaching camp started in July.
Hill mentioned he did not even know if he'd be taking part in in 2025 due to the severity of his damage. Medical doctors instructed him in December that the following season was a query mark, however Hill wasn't able to be executed.
“I like taking part in soccer. Soccer has given me and my household some unbelievable experiences and given us unbelievable alternatives,” Hill mentioned final Friday. “And also you notice that soccer is, there is a shelf life to doing this and had numerous conversations with the group this offseason and … I wasn't able to stroll away and so they nonetheless had a imaginative and prescient for me right here, and so I instructed them I used to be going to do all the things I may to ensure I may nonetheless assist the group win.”
Serving to the group win may imply numerous various things for Hill. Moore on Wednesday didn't rule out the potential for Hill backing up Spencer Rattler at quarterback. Hill is listed because the third quarterback behind rookie Tyler Shough, however he has expertise on the place, having began 9 video games as the first quarterback in 2020 and 2021.
“Yeah, he is executed it loads of occasions in his profession,” Moore mentioned. “He is been taking reps in that place definitely lots via the final couple weeks and so he is positively accessible to be a backup quarterback.”
Moore mentioned he would not be involved about Hill taking a possible backup function regardless of restricted time in apply, saying each Hill and Moreau have been able to be again due to their work behind the scenes. Hill labored with the quarterbacks all summer time.
“They have been chomping on the bit final week after they had an opportunity to lastly play, and they also have been prepared; they've executed a lot work on their very own, and so I really feel like (Hill has) progressed actually, rather well,” Moore mentioned. “He leans on numerous expertise that he has … He can play quarterback on this league. He can clearly play all the opposite enjoyable device items that he is executed up to now, and so we'll proceed to make the most of all of it.”
Hill, who ranks ninth in franchise historical past with 44 whole touchdowns, was a key a part of the group's offense final season, however missed time with three completely different accidents — together with a bruised lung and rib fractures.
Moreau began all 17 video games earlier than his damage within the remaining recreation of the season.
Hill was nonetheless tied with Alvin Kamara for a team-leading six dashing touchdowns regardless of the missed time, whereas Moreau led the group with 5 receiving touchdowns in 2024.
Each know there aren't any ensures these statistics will repeat themselves this season.
Hill, 35, has amassed years of accidents in faculty and the NFL amongst them: Lisfranc accidents in each toes, a number of chest accidents, a number of knee accidents, hand and finger accidents, a concussion, and a leg fracture.
Moreau, 28, went via therapy for Hodgkin lymphoma previous to signing with the Saints in 2023.
After a lot time spent off the sector, they're simply grateful to be again on it, in no matter type that takes.
“It is such a good looking factor to be in these seats, in these lockers, carrying these pads and having these numbers on our again,” Moreau mentioned. “… Guys have been working their entire life to get right here. And clearly, damage is at all times a danger, however as soon as you'll be able to overcome issues like that, it is simply, it is such a blessing.”
