New Orleans Saints star Taysom Hill has become known for his strength, resilience, and versatility on the football field. But behind the powerful runs and gritty plays lies a tender story of personal loss. On March 25, Hill quietly marked the anniversary of one of the darkest days in his life—the tragic death of his older brother, Dexter Hill, who was killed in a car accident in 2016.
Dexter, who was just 31 years old, died in a sudden and devastating crash near his home in Idaho. The news rocked the Hill family, and for Taysom, then a rising quarterback at BYU, everything came to a crashing halt. He left spring football activities immediately to be with his grieving family. “That call shattered me,” Taysom once shared. “I was numb. I felt like the ground disappeared under me.”
Nine years later, the pain remains fresh each time the date approaches. “Every March 25, I pause. I reflect. I cry,” Taysom said in a recent interview. “Dexter was more than a brother—he was my hero. I still ask myself why him? Why so soon?” Fans who see Taysom’s passion on the field may not realize that each game is played in honor of someone he lost far too soon.
To honor Dexter, Taysom changed his jersey number to 7, the number his brother wore as an athlete. “It’s not just a number to me. It’s a connection. A promise. Every time I step on the field, I carry him with me,” he said. In a league filled with bravado, Taysom’s vulnerability has touched many hearts and inspired others silently battling their own losses.
Off the field, Hill often retreats to faith, family, and quiet reflection when the grief becomes too heavy. A devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Taysom said his belief in eternal families gives him peace. “I believe I’ll see Dexter again. That’s what keeps me going,” he said. “Grief doesn’t go away—you just learn how to live with it.”
Dexter’s memory also lives on in Hill’s work ethic and humility. Whether he’s playing quarterback, catching passes, or blocking for teammates, Taysom says he hears his brother’s voice pushing him forward. “Dex would always say, ‘Never waste your gift.’ That echoes in my mind every single game.”
The football world has seen Hill’s toughness—but it’s this emotional openness that truly sets him apart. Fans flooded social media with love and support after he quietly posted a tribute to his brother last March 25. One fan wrote, “Taysom, you’re playing for more than points—you’re playing for purpose. Your story inspires us all.”
While the NFL celebrates stats and highlights, Taysom Hill’s most powerful story is one you won’t find in a box score. It’s a story of pain, perseverance, and brotherly love that never dies. And as each March 25 passes, it becomes clearer that Dexter’s spirit still runs beside Taysom—on every play, in every prayer.
