QB Hill returns to practice for 49ers
August 27, 2009
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP)—San Francisco quarterback Shaun Hill(notes) never thought hehad seriously injured his back.
Hill returned to practice for the 49ers on Thursday and deemed himself morethan healthy enough to play Saturday night at Dallas in the team’s thirdexhibition game.
In this May 1, 2009, photo, Sa… AP – Aug 24, 8:55 pm EDT In this May 1, 2009, photo, Sa… AP – Aug 24, 8:55 pm EDT
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Hill left Wednesday’s training camp workout after throwing one pass becauseof a strained lower back that he injured Tuesday, and coach Mike Singletary saidat the time he was unsure of Hill’s status for the game against the Cowboys.With any injury, major or minor, to a quarterback—and especially a hurt back—a team will be particularly cautious.
In this Saturday, Aug. 22, 200… AP – Aug 24, 8:51 pm EDT
“Everything felt good,” Hill said Thursday. “It was nice to get out thereand be able to practice. If anything, in my mind, it wasn’t as bad as everybodyelse thought, that’s for sure. I knew there wasn’t a whole lot to it.”
Hill called the injury a “freak thing.”
Hill, who was named the regular-season starting quarterback Monday bySingletary over Alex Smith, said his back calmed down “quite a bit.” He’s notsure how long he will play Saturday.
“It will continue to get better from here on,” Hill said. “It wasbasically, ‘Let’s have a day of rest and everything will be better,’ and itwas.”
Hill, the 29-year-old former undrafted free agent out of Maryland, went 5-3over the Niners’ final eight games last season and was 2-0 as a fill-in starterin 2007. He also has never lost at home as a starter at Candlestick Park in fivegames over the past two years.
It’s still sinking in for Hill that even when he’s tight or has a minortweak it will be a big deal considering he’s now the No. 1 man under center.Entering his eighth NFL season, Hill began his career with Minnesota beforesigning with the Niners as an unrestricted free agent in June 2006. He has neverstarted a season opener and has only 10 career starts.
“All that stuff’s a little new to me, I guess,” he said, chuckling. “Youguys just have to forgive me, I’m a little naive about all that stuff. If therewas anything pressing, my mother and father would have known without reading it.They would have known from me instead of reading it. So, yeah, everything’sfine.”
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