Peyton Hillis Speaks on his First Season with Josh McDaniels
In 2008, when the Denver Broncos endured the adversity of losing six running backs to injury, Peyton Hillis saw a window for his opportunity and he seized it. After former Bronco back Ryan Torain went down himself, Hillis rose to the occasion recording his first career 100-yard rushing game en route to leading the Broncos on the ground that season.
Although Hillis'year was abruptly ended by an unfortunate hamstring injury incurred after making an acrobatic catch against Kansas City, the young prospect out of Arkansas was riding high in the knowledge he'd proven himself to Mike Shanahan.
The only problem: it wasn't in the cards for Shanahan to return. Suddenly, once more, Hillis found himself weighed with uncertainty upon the arrival of the Broncos' new head coach, Josh McDaniels.
McDaniels was a new coach bringing in his own players at Hillis' position; namely: Knowshon Moreno, the new regime's 1<SUP>st</SUP> round draft pick; and Correll Buckhalter, who McDaniels personally picked from the free agent crop. Unfortunately for Hillis, both players pocketed more money, and had more clout before one snap was even taken in the 2009 preseason.
Before you know it, in a blink of an eye, Hillis went from teetering on the cusp of his potential, to practically dropping off the radar.
Three days after the Denver Broncos' 2009 season ended in an epic tailspin with a shocking 44-24 domination by the Kansas City Chiefs, Hillis agreed to a one-on-one interview with Fox31's Josina Anderson to reflect on the past, the present, and the future.
Here is the transcript of their Q & A:
Josina Anderson: Your first season in the league you had 68 carries for 343 yards under Mike Shanahan. This season, under Josh McDaniels you logged 13 carries for 54 yards. Having said that, when you look back at this year, how do you feel this season went?
Peyton Hillis: Well, I was kind of like everybody else in that I was expecting a lot of good things to happen to me this year, especially after last season. Unfortunately, when the new coaching staff arrived it ended up not being that way. It really got me down for a little while. However, I just accepted it because I am really kind of used to it from my days at Arkansas being very similar. It's been a rough road but I tend to overcome things like this and come out on top. With me not knowing what will happen next year, meaning whether I stay here or go somewhere else, it's totally out of my hands. It's up to the coaching staff and everybody else to really decide that for me. Wherever my opportunity is, I am going to be grateful and try to take advantage of it. If I stay here, I just got to prove to my coaches that I deserve to play and that I deserve to be here.
Josina: So with that, what do you think your future is with the Broncos? What can you tell Denver fans about the likelihood of whether you will stay in Denver?
Peyton: Well when you look at yourself and you realize that you're not playing very much anything can happen. I have to anticipate that I might return, or that I that I might get cut. I have to keep everything up in the air right now so I am not caught off guard if it happens.
Josina: What do you think was the reason for your decline in playing time this season, and for your decrease in production? Some of your teammates that I talk to think it's a combination of your preseason performance, your fumble against Cleveland early in the regular season, and the politics of McDaniels' guys Moreno and Buckhalter being in front of you.
Peyton: Well yes, I did fumble one time against Cleveland and that was it. It does feel like all the opportunities I had or could have had demolished after that point, but I thought I had a really good preseason. I thought I was doing exceptionally well, but hey life is full of surprises.
Josina: So do you think politics played a part in how your season unraveled when you consider the fact you had only one fumble this season, and Moreno had four?
Peyton: Well when you get a new head coach, a new philosophy, a new scheme, and he brings all of his new guys, you're probably going to have to accept that you might have to take a backseat. I'm just the type of guy that continues to work hard and the guy that continues to hope that eventually my coaches will see my potential and talent. When it comes to Knowshon, obviously (McDaniels) drafted him so he is going to get more opportunities.
Josina: As the season progressed, and the media and fans observed that you were not getting as much playing time, many of them assumed that you were in the doghouse. Did you ever feel like you were, was there ever any tension between you and McDaniels?
Peyton: Being the guy that I am, I'm not the one to ask a lot of questions or question the leader. I just kind of like to let things happen the way they will.I'm the one that is going to just put my head down and keep on working hard. Josh and I were always very friendly whenever we talked to one another. We didn't talk a lot, but when we did it was very conversational.
Josina: But do you feel now in hindsight, given the way that you just described the nature of your personality that perhaps you should have spoke up more on your own behalf?
Peyton: I think not. I think that I am a smart enough guy to speak up if I feel like I can get something accomplished. But being a 7th round draft pick, I just realize that I am in less of a position to impose myself on any coach. So, there was really no reason in doing that.
Josina: But what about a case like your teammate Tony Carter? He was on the Broncos practice squad most of the season, and Josh promoted him to the active roster. Evidently your introductory status is not related to your ability to advance or progress, or so it would seem from that example. What's the truth, or what was your truth?
Peyton: Tony (Carter) is still (McDaniels') guy. They brought him in as (an undrafted free agent), so I feel like (McDaniels) still has more of a comfort level with a guy like Tony when it comes to integrating him into his own system. My experience in what I had to deal with individually was different, so there is really nothing different that I could have done about it.
Josina: So when you see all the drama that began under this new regime, and how it flared up again at the end of the season with the "McScheffler"Â and the latest "McMarshall"Â episodes, what goes through your head? When you combine what happen with you and those guys, is it your observation that the locker room is split between Shanahan's guys and McDaniels' guys?
Peyton: That could be the case. I really couldn't say to tell you the truth. I don't know the story behind Brandon (Marshall) and Tony (Scheffler). What I do know is that this is a business. As far as the guys that are left over from the Shanahan era, you can only hope that we are all on the same playing field; so in the end, what can you do?
Josina: So what did you hear about your future in your exit interview?
Peyton: I was told they just need to take some more time and go over everything to determine how they feel about me. I was fine with that. There's nothing I can do about that. Time will tell.
Josina: So do you want to be here in Denver Peyton? Could you be happy if you had the same playing time next season? Obviously, Moreno will still be here, and there is a good chance Buckhalter will remain as well with how things currently stand.
Peyton: I guess it would all depend on if things would change. I don't really know what will happen at this point. I love being here. I love being a Bronco, and I love this city.
Josina: So is your happiness dependant upon your playing time?
Peyton: Most definitely. I went from doing really good things for this team to not doing anything, and I would like to be a good teammate and contribute. Clearly, the overall success of this team is very important to me, but also within that I would like things to change because right now it's all speculation what coach thinks about me.But to say once again, most definitely I would like things to change.
http://community.kdvr.com/_Peyton-Hillis-Speaks-on-his-First-Season-with-Josh-McDaniels/blog/1695189/96399.htmlEdited by: Don Wassall
