Former Rams and Dolphins running back Eddie Hill has died, the Miami Dolphins announced Monday afternoon.
He was 67.
Hill played for six years in the NFL after being selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the second round of the 1979 NFL Draft out of the University of Memphis.
According to the Sun Sentinel, Hill had been battling brain cancer. Hill also believed that he was showing early signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) prior to his passing.
CTE is a brain disease caused by repeated head injuries and trauma. Many former NFL players suffer from CTE.
“I’m probably dealing with some of that,” Hill said.
Despite this, Hill had said he wouldn’t trade his NFL career for anything.
“Every life has a purpose,” he said, “and football was one of those biblical, scriptural things that I learned early in life that applied to me, the gift.”
Hill spent two years with the Rams and appeared in 23 games before being traded to Miami, rounding out his career and playing in 52 games.
In his rookie season with Los Angeles, Hill and the Rams reached the Super Bowl where they fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-19 in Super Bowl XIV. Hill did not carry the ball but he returned three kickoffs for 47 yards.
Hill also reached the Super Bowl with Miami when the Dolphins fell to the then-Washington Redskins 27-17 in Super Bowl XVII and when they fell to the 49ers 38-16 in Super Bowl XIX.
Hill returned a kick for 16 yards in Super Bowl XIX against San Francisco, which wound up being his final touch and final game of his NFL career.
Hill’s son, Quadtrine, followed in his footsteps, as Quadtrine played running back at the University of Miami from 2001-04.
Quadtrine primarily served as a fullback, toting 27 carries in his career for one touchdown.
