"No one gave Shaun Hill much of a chance to be here, in his ninth NFL season, starting for the 17th time in a well-traveled career.

When Hill entered the league as an undrafted rookie out of Maryland, even his coaches thought he was a charity case. Mike Tice, the coach in Minnesota who signed Hill, was a former Terrapins quarterback, and the running joke was Tice was just doing his alma mater a favor.

"When he came in, we thought he had no chance," said former Vikings assistant Charlie Baggett, now the receivers coach at the University of Tennessee and an ex-MSU quarterback and assistant coach. "But he came in and showed a strong arm and showed some leadership ability and some mobility.

"He proved he can play in this league by what he did at (San Francisco, going 10-6 as a starter), and I think he'll do well for the Lions.""