Suspended Vikings cornerback Holton Hill learning from mistakes

After being suspended for the first four games of the 2019 NFL season, Vikings cornerback Holton Hill is being more careful about what he puts in his body.

One of the best surprises of the 2018 NFL season for the Minnesota Vikings was the emergence of Holton Hill. The undrafted free agent came out and played some fantastic football as a rookie, giving hopes he could continue to be a contributor for many seasons to come.

However, this offseason Hill found himself in some tough situations. An instance of this game during the offseason where the defensive back tested positive for a banned substance by the NFL, resulting in a four-game suspension.

Considering the talent Hill has shown, his roster spot likely wasn’t in any kind of danger, but that does mean he will miss key early games this season, including tough ones against the Falcons, Packers, and Bears as well as a matchup against the Hard Knocks franchise this year, the Raiders.

Recently, the Pioneer Press shared a statement from Holton Hill discussing the situation regarding his suspension:

"“I’m just learning from my mistakes, knowing what you put into your body,’’ Hill said. “I’m responsible for everything that goes into it. I’m taking it as a learning experience, and I’m just growing from there.’’"

“Hollywood” Holton Hill was a valuable part of the team when injuries ran through the cornerback depth of the team. When he was inserted into the lineup, he played at a high level and made plays, including 36 combined tackles, seven pass defenses, and one interception.

The good news is that Hill will still be practicing with the team to hone his craft. While he is disappointed he won’t be able to play for the first quarter of the regular season because of his suspension, he is focused on being the best he can be when he is able to suit up.

"“With the NFL, everything comes with reps and repetition,’’ he said. “So, once you get the repetition out there, and you get your confidence right, it’s all about you just going out and playing the game.’’"

Minnesota should be able to hold down the ship for the first four games thanks to having some great depth at cornerback. Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes, Mackensie Alexander, and Mike Hughes are all returning to the team for the 2019 season and look to pick up where they left off last year.

Still, having a healthy Holton Hill available for situations when the team needs him to enter the game based on injuries or just as a rotational player would be a great benefit to the team. Sadly, he won’t be able to take that role on until Week 5 against the New York Giants.