The makings of superman

The Baltimore Brigade’s Joe Hills experienced a monumental moment when he caught a touchdown in his 100th consecutive game against the Columbus Destroyers last Saturday.

Hills leads the Brigade in touchdowns (15), ranks 2nd on the team in receiving yards (518) and average yards per game (64.8). He ranks third in the League with 15 receiving touchdowns, and tied for fourth with an average of 1.9 touchdowns per game.

While thriving now, in summer of 2012 Hills was sitting on his couch down on his luck.

Road to the Arena

Hills experienced a roller coaster of events between 2011 and 2012.

Hills went undrafted out of college from Tennessee State University, but was invited to training camp by the Tennessee Titans in fall 2011. Though promising, the opportunity was short-lived when Hills hurt his meniscus in his knee on the fourth day of training camp. The Titans soon cut him.

While at home Hills said one of his childhood friends who was playing in the AFL, Terrance Sanders, asked if he wanted to join him and play for the arena team in Spokane, Washington.

Sanders spoke with Spokane Shock head coach Andy Olsen and Hills made his AFL debut with the Shock at the beginning of the 2012 season. Hills saw limited action as he made his transition from the outdoor game and off of an injury.

However, his stint in Spokane was also brief. Hills said when the team realized it wasn’t going to make the playoffs, it wanted to get a look at some new receivers. Hills decided to return to his home in Palmetto, Florida.

With two professional football opportunities gone, Hills found himself back home with no plan. But he soon got inspiration from someone dear to him, his girlfriend.

“I went home for about two weeks, I was down on my luck on the couch. My girlfriend, now my wife, at the time pretty much told me to go to the arena team in Tampa and tell them ‘you wanna play,’” Hills said.

While apprehensive at first. That’s exactly what he did.

He went to the office of the Tampa Bay Storm and told them he wanted to play football. Hills said their response was simple: show up tomorrow at 8 a.m.

Hills finished the 2012 season with the Tampa Bay Storm. While still playing in a limited role, he began his historic touchdown reception streak on June 29 versus the Philadelphia Soul, when he caught two touchdown passes.

The makings of “Superman”

Hills returned to the Storm for the 2013 season. That year he started every game and caught 133 catches for 1861 yards and 42 touchdowns. Those stats garnered him First Team All-Arena honors.

Hills said his second year in the league really helped him adjust to the differences between the outdoor game and the arena game. Especially how the smaller size makes spacing and precision even more important.

Atlantic City Blackjacks QB Randy Hippeard played with Hills in 2013, 2014 and 2017. Hippeard said he became a fan and enjoyed watching him develop in that 2013 season.

“He’s always had the talent and the ability, but once he learned the game he really took off and became really Joe Hills, or ‘superman’ as a lot of people call him these days,” Hippeard said.

After another solid season with Tampa Bay in 2014, Hills joined the Jacksonville Sharks in 2015. Hills said teaming up with QB Tommy Grady and WR Tiger Jones elevated his game to the next level.

Upon meeting Hills, Jones was a six-year AFL veteran who was five time All-Arena and the 2011 Receiver of the Year. Hills said Jones was an important mentor to him.

“I saw him work, I saw him put in countless hours staying after and watching film. Doing all the little stuff. He taught me the nances of the game,” said Hills.

While Jones helped him dominate the game from the receiver position, Grady helped Hills master the X’s and O’s of arena football.

“Tommy pretty much taught me how to see what he sees and that kind of turned the whole narrative of everything,” Hills said. “No matter what kind of coverage you guys played against us we see it the same, so we know what’s gonna happen.”

With the foundation set in 2015, Hills had a truly special year in 2016. He had 2020 receiving yards and 58 touchdowns, which respectively place 9th and tied for 2nd most in a season. Additionally, Those stats earned him Offensive player of the year, receiver of the year and First Team All-Arena.

Hills would return to the Storm in 2017 and reunite with Hippeard. Hills would continue his dominance earning a second consecutive receiver of the year and First Team All-Arena with 1353 yards and 36 touchdowns.

Hills has created an undeniable legacy in the league: he ranks tied for 12th all-time with 864 receptions, and eighth in receiving touchdowns (278).

“He’s set the bar for receivers for the last four, five years in this league,” Hippeard said.

The streak

Hills tied Damian Harrell’s record of 78 games with a touchdown reception on July 8, 2017 in the Storm’s matchup versus the Cleveland Gladiators. He said that it was one of his favorite moments over his eight year career.

When asked about the streak prior to last Saturday’s game he said it's been a cool experience but he’s never been about personal accolades, he just wants to contribute to the team.

“It’s just a testament to all the hard work,” he said. “I never woke up one day and said I wanted to have 100 straight games of touchdowns, I never did that. The goal has always been to do whatever I can to help my team win.”

Boyd said the most impressive thing about the streak is Hill’s durability in such a violent game as football.

“To be able to strap up helmet and shoulder pads every single week. Not just for a total of 100 games, but to be able to produce for 100 games is impressive,” Boyd said.

Hippeard said witnessing history has been a great experience for him and other players around the league, and he doesn't see it stopping anytime soon.

“To be apart of a of the league when somebody is that close to something of that significance. It's amazing because he really is making history right now,” Hippeard said.

“Who knows, it may be 110, 120, 130 [consecutive games with a touchdown catch] just depends on how long he decides to play this game.”

Now with 100 consecutive games with a touchdown catch, Hills’s nickname has never fit better said Boyd.

“He is who he is. He’s superman.”