Tony Hills (American football)
Encyclopedia
Anthony Tremaine Hills is an American football
offensive tackle for the Denver Broncos
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers
in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Texas
.
, Hills grew up in Houston
, where he was an All-State tight end
at Alief Elsik High School
. During Hills' senior year, his team reached the 5A state semifinals, but lost 30-21 to Converse Judson
.
the 2003 season
after reconstructive surgery
on his left knee following a career-threatening injury (nerve damage
). When he returned, he was moved from tight end to offensive tackle, and appeared in 31 games during his first three seasons (2004–2006). In 2005, he was part of the Longhorn team
that won the National Championship. As a junior in 2006, Hills started at left tackle in all 13 games of the season. He started the Longhorns' first 11 games of 2007, but suffered a fractured left fibula that cost him the last two games.
by the Pittsburgh Steelers
, spending three seasons with the team. He was released on September 3, 2011.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
offensive tackle for the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft
2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Texas
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
.
Early years
Though born in DallasDallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, Hills grew up in Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, where he was an All-State tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
at Alief Elsik High School
Alief Elsik High School
Alief Elsik High School is a secondary school located in the Alief region of Houston, Texas.Elsik is divided into two campuses: the main campus , and the Alief Elsik Ninth Grade Center , which serves ninth graders...
. During Hills' senior year, his team reached the 5A state semifinals, but lost 30-21 to Converse Judson
Judson High School
Judson High School is a public, co-educational secondary school in Converse, Texas. It was established in 1959 and is part of the Judson Independent School District. The school was named after Moses Judson, who served on the Bexar County School Board from 1918 to 1939...
.
College career
Hills attended the University of Texas, where he was forced to redshirtRedshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
the 2003 season
2003 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with an abundance of controversy, resulting in a split national championship. This was the first split title since the inception of the BCS, something the BCS intended to eliminate....
after reconstructive surgery
Reconstructive surgery
Reconstructive surgery is, in its broadest sense, the use of surgery to restore the form and function of the body, although Maxillo-Facial Surgeons, Plastic Surgeons and Otolaryngologists do reconstructive surgery on faces after trauma and to reconstruct the head and neck after cancer.Other...
on his left knee following a career-threatening injury (nerve damage
Nerve injury
Nerve injury is injury to nervous tissue. There is no single classification system that can describe all the many variations of nerve injury. Most systems attempt to correlate the degree of injury with symptoms, pathology and prognosis...
). When he returned, he was moved from tight end to offensive tackle, and appeared in 31 games during his first three seasons (2004–2006). In 2005, he was part of the Longhorn team
2005 Texas Longhorn football team
The 2005 Texas Longhorn football team represented the University of Texas at Austin during the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season, winning the Big 12 Conference championship and the national championship. The team was coached by Mack Brown, led on offense by quarterback Vince Young, and played...
that won the National Championship. As a junior in 2006, Hills started at left tackle in all 13 games of the season. He started the Longhorns' first 11 games of 2007, but suffered a fractured left fibula that cost him the last two games.
2008 NFL Draft
Hills is considered to be part of a strong group of offensive tackles and was seen by most analysts as a third-round pick. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round with the 130th pick.Pittsburgh Steelers
Hills was drafted in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
by the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, spending three seasons with the team. He was released on September 3, 2011.