Hillis Interview: Wants out if not utilized

[Lolad]

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” and the latest “McMarshall” 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.

[tsiguy96]

thats the same MO of most players in the NFL. if they arent playing where they are at but could play somewhere else, they prolly want to go to that place...

[vancejohnson82]

amazing....this was posted yesterday with a completely different thread title

[Dagmar]

Josina Anderson

Stopped reading there.

[ColoradoBuff]

great interview. hopefully he stays a Bronco. If not, good luck where ever you go Peyton!

[Schism]

I hate it when my opportunities demolish.

BOOO!!!!

He's pretty much gone, I reckon. Still think his long term future is as a pure RB, he more or less sucks as a lead blocker so keeping him there seems foolish.

Just hand him the ball and tell him to run forward and you might have a back that can contribute in some capacity.

[BigPlayShay]

Anyone else think Josina wants to kill McDaniels as much as Law wants to kill Marshall? Someone should start a poll.

[Beantown Bronco]

Sure, dude, that one fumble did you in.....how about the 3 short yardage plays out of 4 that they called your number during the opening drive in Oakland, only to have you false start and get stuffed twice in a row.

It's not like that one fumble did you in....sorry.

[strafen]

Originally Posted by Beantown Bronco

Sure, dude, that one fumble did you in.....how about the 3 short yardage plays out of 4 that they called your number during the opening drive in Oakland, only to have you false start and get stuffed twice in a row.

It's not like that one fumble did you in....sorry.

The guy had 13 freakin' carriesw all season long.
You're obviously looking hard in the wrong places to back-up a worthless argument
The fact of the matter remains Hillis did not get the playing time he deserved to make a difference. Period!

[oubronco]

Originally Posted by Beantown Bronco

Sure, dude, that one fumble did you in.....how about the 3 short yardage plays out of 4 that they called your number during the opening drive in Oakland, only to have you false start and get stuffed twice in a row.

It's not like that one fumble did you in....sorry.

well then what about Morenos 20-30 short yardage carries that were stuffed, should he be treated the same

[Beantown Bronco]

Originally Posted by dragster69

The guy had 13 freakin' carriesw all season long.
You're obviously looking hard in the wrong places to back-up a worthless argument
The fact of the matter remains Hillis did not get the playing time he deserved to make a difference. Period!

Try to at least stay CLOSE to on-point. Please don't quote me unless you're responding to something I wrote.

[fontaine]

I can't see him here in Denver next season. He doesn't get on the field as a RB or FB and isn't good enough for special teams.

Maybe Shanahan picks him up in Washington!! lol

[Requiem]

Behind Hillis words lay a Devil with a pitchfork.

[Beantown Bronco]

Originally Posted by oubronco

well then what about Morenos 20-30 short yardage carries that were stuffed, should he be treated the same

Depends on what the coaches saw in the film the day after the game. What if he got stuffed because there were 2 or 3 guys in the backfield, whereas maybe Hillis got stuffed because he missed his hole and ran into a guy he shouldn't have? We are not privy to all that goes on behind the scenes, so I will trust that the coaches have good reason for doing what they're doing.

McD has NOTHING to gain by benching Hillis and going with Moreno if Hillis actually gives him a better chance of gaining those yards and scoring TDs. Sorry. It's not a conspiracy to play "his" guys. That's the quickest way to get fired. It looks a lot worse for McD if he chooses to lose with his guys as opposed to winning with Shanny's guys. Do you disagree?

[Jason in LA]

Seems like she was asking some very leading questions. Like she just wanted to know the drama that was going on. Hillis was smart to avoid giving her what she really wanted.

[PRBronco]

Maybe I'm being dyslexic, I just scanned it, but I don't see where he says he wants out.

[Beantown Bronco]

Originally Posted by Jason in McLA

Hillis was smart to avoid giving her what she really wanted.

From what I've read about her, this part probably took place after the interview. DVD release date unknown.

[Requiem]

Josina should be following the Special Olympics. In that regard, she'd get to interview like-minded people.

[bpc]

Hey Peyton, good luck where ever you go. I'm sure you'll work hard and do well.

[Dagmar]

Originally Posted by BigPlayShay

Anyone else think Josina wants to kill McDaniels as much as Law wants to kill Marshall? Someone should start a poll.

Seriously, what the hell is up with this chick?

Apart from the obvious!



Yikes, just yikes. Wait...

[bpc]

Originally Posted by Rusty Shackleford

Seriously, what the hell is up with this chick?

Apart from the obvious!

That is one ugly b****.

[Dagmar]

Originally Posted by bpc

That is one ugly b****.

She looks bitter, very bitter about something.

[PRBronco]

Originally Posted by Rusty Shackleford

She looks bitter, very bitter about something.

Seriously, she wants to bring down whitey. She hates that McDaniels got the job over Morris, and she thinks that if she paraphrases Hillis she can create infighting, because she assumes they're all in cahoots. /puts on tinfoil hat

[Requiem]

Who wouldn't tap that?

[Schism]

I'd do her up the wrong one, that'd be as far as I'd go though in all honesty.