Rod Hill

Last updated

Rod Hill
No. 25, 47, 38
Born: (1959-03-14) March 14, 1959 (age 65)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Career information
StatusRetired
CFL status American
Position(s) CB
Height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight185 lb (84 kg)
College Kentucky State
NFL draft 1982, Round: 1, Pick: 25
Drafted by Dallas Cowboys
Career history
As player
1982–1983 Dallas Cowboys
1984–1986 Buffalo Bills
1986 Detroit Lions
1987 Los Angeles Raiders
1988–1992 Winnipeg Blue Bombers (CFL)
Career highlights and awards
CFL All-Star 1989, 1990
CFL East All-Star 1989, 1990
Career stats

Rodrick Hill (born March 14, 1959) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the Kentucky State Thorobreds. Hill played in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, and Los Angeles Raiders. After his NFL career, he played five seasons in the CFL with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and still holds the career interception record for that franchise.

Contents

Early life

Hill attended Martin Luther King High School. He accepted a scholarship to the University of Iowa, where as a wide receiver, he felt he had few opportunities to prove his worth in the team's run-oriented offense. He decided to transfer to Kentucky State University at the end of his first semester.

As a sophomore, he was converted into a cornerback to take advantage of his athleticism. He had 5 interceptions (led the team) and 25 punt returns for a 21.7-yard average (led the NAIA). Against Morris Brown College, he made 2 interceptions and returned a punt for a 77-yard touchdown. Against Central State University, he returned a punt for an 87-yard touchdown.

As a junior, he registered 2 interceptions (led the team) and led the NAIA with a 31.8-yard average on 18 punt returns. He posted 30.1-yard average on 9 kickoff returns. He missed 3 contests with a sprained ankle.

Hill finished his college career with 8 career interceptions and was considered an excellent return specialist, returning 50 punts for 1,182 yards (school-record 23.6-yards average) and 31 kickoffs for a 22.5 yard average. As a senior, he played in the East–West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl.

In 2000, he was inducted into the Kentucky State University Athletics Hall of Fame. [1] In 2011, he was inducted into the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame. [2]

Professional career

Dallas Cowboys

After private workouts with defensive assistant coach Gene Stallings and being rated very high for his athletic abilities, the Dallas Cowboys selected Hill in the first round (25th overall) of the 1982 NFL draft. [3] The team used him as a nickel cornerback and special teams returner, but struggled in both roles. He replaced an injured Ron Fellows late in the season and the playoffs.

He had irregular performances in the 1982 playoff games. Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he was replaced with Monty Hunter, after he missed a tackle that allowed Gordon Jones to have a 49-yard touchdown reception, for a 17-16 third quarter lead. The next game was his finest moment as a Cowboy, besides playing a key role as the nickel cornerback on passing downs in a 37-26 victory against the Green Bay Packers, in the third quarter he returned a kickoff 89 yards (tied for second in NFL playoff history), which led to a key field goal and in the fourth quarter he also blocked a Jan Stenerud conversion kick. Conversely, in the Washington Redskins playoff game, his goal line muffed punt contributed to the team loss. [4]

Hill continued to struggle in 1983 and lost the nickel cornerback position to Fellows. Eventually his teammates also started to turn on him, [5] so the Cowboys traded him to the Buffalo Bills in the 1984 offseason, in exchange for a fifth round draft choice (#119-Matt Darwin) in 1985, plus a sixth (#140-Thornton Chandler) and a twelfth selection (#307-Chris Duliban) in 1986. In Cowboys lore, Hill would become the symbol of the failed draft strategy of the Eighties decade, when the team took too many gambles.

Buffalo Bills

In 1984, he fractured his ankle in the second game of the season and was placed on the injured reserve list. The longer than expected recovery from the injury and a broken hand, limited him to 10 games (5 starts) in 1985. He was used mostly as a punt returner until his release on October 14, 1986. [6]

Detroit Lions

On October 16, 1986, Hill was claimed by the Detroit Lions to replace injured cornerback Bobby Watkins. [7] He played in one game, before being cut and later re-signed for the last 2 games, to replace an injured John Bostic. [8] He was waived on September 1, 1987. [9]

Los Angeles Raiders

After the players went on a strike on the third week of the 1987 season, those games were canceled (reducing the 16 game season to 15) and the NFL decided that the games would be played with replacement players. Hill was signed to be a part of the Los Angeles Raiders replacement team, that was given the mock name "Masqueraiders" by the media. He went on to start all three games at cornerback and stayed a few weeks after the strike ended, before being released.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (CFL)

Hill signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League in May of 1988, where he became a dominant player. He was the team's starting cornerback for 5 seasons and was part of two Grey Cups championships. [10] He received CFL All-Star honors in 1989 and 1990.

He retired at the end of the 1992 season, with team records for most career interceptions (47), most interceptions in one game (5) and career blocked punts (8). [11] In 1996, he was inducted into the Winnipeg Football Club Hall of Fame. [12]

Personal life

Hill worked as a banker in Winnipeg and also managed a Wal-Mart in Orangeville, Ontario.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rod Woodson</span> American football player and coach (born 1965)

Roderick Kevin Woodson is an American former professional football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. Widely considered one of the greatest cornerbacks of all time, Woodson holds the NFL record for fumble recoveries (32) by a defensive player, and interceptions returned for touchdown (12). He was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interception</span> American football play in which a defensive player catches a pass, resulting in a turnover

In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team but caught by a player of the team on defense, who thereby usually gains possession of the ball for their team. It is commonly seen in football, including American and Canadian football, as well as association football, rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, as well as any sport by which a loose object is passed between players toward a goal. In basketball, this is called a steal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Champ Bailey</span> American football player (born 1978)

Roland "Champ" Bailey Jr. is an American former football cornerback who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, where he earned consensus All-American honors, and was selected by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 1999 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mel Renfro</span> American football player (born 1941)

Melvin Lacy Renfro is an American former professional football player who spent his entire 14-year career as a cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Michael James Haynes is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Raiders. Regarded as one of the greatest cornerbacks of all time, he used his speed, physicality, quickness and range to become both an elite defensive back and an outstanding punt returner. Haynes was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997. He was also named to the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1994, as well the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2019 for his accomplishments during his 14-year career.

Jacob E. Scott III was an American professional football player who was a free safety and punt returner from 1970 to 1978 for the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Georgia, and was drafted in the 1970 NFL Draft in the 7th round, 159th overall pick, by the Miami Dolphins.

Kevin Bryant Mathis is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, and Atlanta Falcons. He played college football at Texas A&M University–Commerce.

Reginald "Reggie" Terrell Swinton is a former American football wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions and Arizona Cardinals. He played college football at Murray State University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Jacobs</span> American football player (1919–1974)

Jack Jacobs, nicknamed "Indian Jack", was an American and Canadian football player in the National Football League (NFL) and Western Interprovincial Football Union. He was a charter member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, inducted in 1963.

Aaron Douglas Kyle is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos. He was selected in the first round of the 1976 NFL draft. He played college football at the University of Wyoming.

Ronald Lee Fellows is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Raiders. He played college football at the University of Missouri.

Kevin Rey Smith is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback for nine seasons with the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas A&M Aggies, earning consensus All-American honors in 1991. Smith won three Super Bowls with the Cowboys.

William R. Butler is a former American football safety in the National Football League (NFL) for the Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings. He also was a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Ronald Bernard Francis is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for the Baylor Bears.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macho Harris</span> American football player (born 1986)

Victor "Macho" Harris, Jr. is a former football defensive back. He played college football at Virginia Tech and was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Harris was also a member of the Washington Redskins and the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL and the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

Ed Jones is a former American and Canadian football safety for the Edmonton Eskimos and BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He won five Grey Cups for the Eskimos and was a CFL All-Star. He also was a member of the Buffalo Bills in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Rutgers University and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 1975.

Paul Brule is a former football player who starred at St. Francis Xavier University in the 1960s before playing professionally in the Canadian Football League. In March 2018, it was announced that Brule would be inducted in to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame class of 2018.

Donald Smith is an American former gridiron football cornerback in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Memphis Mad Dogs and Toronto Argonauts and Hamilton Tiger-Cats from 1992 to 2000. He also played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Liberty University.

William Ben Van Burkleo is a former defensive back in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Toronto Argonauts, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Ottawa Rough Riders, Calgary Stampeders and Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He played college football at the University of Tulsa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donovan Olumba</span> American gridiron football player (born 1995)

Donovan Olumba is an American professional football defensive back for the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played two seasons in the National Football League (NFL) and college football at Portland State University.

References

  1. ↑ "Kentucky State University Hall of Fame" . Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Rod Hill Inducted into Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame" . Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Tom Landry gambles on draft 'unknown'" . Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  4. ↑ "'Skins say 'How sweet win is'" . Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  5. ↑ "1982 Draft Taught Cowboys A Lesson" . Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Bills drop cornerback" . Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Watkins Out, Lions Turn to Hill" . Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Detroit Re-Signs Rod Hill" . Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Transactions" . Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Bombers upset B.C. 22-21 in Grey Cup" . Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Fans name Rod Hill the Bombers' all-time greatest defensive back" . Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Winnipeg Football Club Hall of Fame" . Retrieved January 13, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.