Winston Salem Times

Former Wake Forest standout Kendall Hinton made the Pro Football Hall of Fame after a single NFL game, and Demon Deacons head football coach Dave Clawson has told his players there’s a lesson in that.

Hinton, who played quarterback and receiver for Wake Forest from 2015-19, was on the Denver Broncos practice squad as a receiver and kick returner when the Broncos learned that all four of their quarterbacks had been ruled out for the Nov. 29 game against the New Orleans Saints.

Starting quarterback Jeff Driskel was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Nov. 26. Backups Drew Lock, Brett Rypien and Blake Bortles were ruled ineligible because they had been in close contact with Driskel without wearing masks.

With no other option, Denver activated Hinton and named him the starting quarterback. It was his first game action as a quarterback since 2018 and the rust showed. He was only 1-of-9 passing for 13 yards with two interceptions, as the Broncos lost 31-3 to the Saints.

Despite that lack of success, Hinton has received plenty of attention and praise for his willingness to try. The Pro Football Hall of Fame has asked for items from Hinton to place on display.

Hinton is the first non-quarterback to play the position in a game since running back Tom Matte famously did so for the Baltimore Colts for three games in 1965 after Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas and backup signal-caller Gary Cuozzo were injured.

Matte wrote a letter to Hinton, expressing his admiration and noting their bond.

“As the only two ‘instant quarterbacks’ in NFL history, we have a strong connection thanks to our shared experience,” Matte wrote. “I’m proud of how you stepped up for your teammates.”

His college coach shares that sentiment.

“We’re proud of Kendall,” he told Winston-Salem Times. “I think that’s pretty cool. We’re really proud of how he handled everything, to get his wristbands of 24 plays in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, that’s just the whipped cream and the cherry.”

Broncos head coach Vic Fangio said on such short notice Hinton did a solid job.

"He did everything he could," Fangio said, according to the Broncos website. “He was excited for the opportunity. We had about a two-, three-, four-hour window to get him ready, which isn't a lot, obviously. He was excited for it. We were excited for him, his teammates were excited for him. That's a big, big ask, and it just didn't work out."

After the game, Hinton said he was grateful for the opportunity, according to the Broncos.

“I can easily say that was the most eventful 24 hours of my life, but when I got the call there was pure excitement,” he said. “Of course, there were nerves and disbelief, but the encouragement the team gave me and guys just keeping me up the whole time, they made it a lot easier for me.”

Clawson, in his seventh year at Wake Forest and 20th season as a head coach, saluted Hinton on Twitter.

“Always a Deac! So proud of @Kendall_Hinton2 and how he handled himself. Competitor!” he tweeted.

The coach said he has been in touch with Hinton since he joined the Broncos practice squad in mid-November. He exchanged texts with Hinton’s mother during the Broncos-Saints game, and said Hinton had made the Demon Deacons proud.

On Tuesday, during a Zoom news conference, Clawson said he has talked with his players about Hinton’s unexpected moment in the spotlight.

“Kendall used to catch punts, he’d catch punts every day,” he said in response to a Winston-Salem Times question. “And I was joking with the punt returners, ‘See, hanging out here with me catching punts can lead you to the Pro Football Hall of Fame within a year.'”

When Hinton came to Wake Forest from Southern Durham High School in 2015 expectations were high.

He arrived on campus as a quarterback and found success as a freshman, playing in nine games and making a pair of starts. Hinton was 93 for 177 for 929 yards passing with four touchdowns and rushed for 390 yards with two more scores.

He was injured early in his sophomore season after compiling 174 yards passing and 125 yards rushing with a pair of touchdowns. Hinton then took a medical redshirt for that season.

In 2017 Hinton served as a backup quarterback. He was 27 for 47 passing for 399 yards with four touchdowns while rushing for another 190 yards and two TDS.

Hinton was scheduled to be the starting QB in 2018 but was suspended early on for violating team rules. He completed only two passes in eight attempts for two yards, with one interception.

But Hinton rushed for 167 yards and scored twice in 22 carries, while catching six passes for 61 yards. He considered leaving Wake Forest but came back for one more season.

Hinton became a full-time receiver and kick returner as a redshirt senior and flourished for the Demon Deacons, who went to their fourth straight bowl game. He caught 73 passes for 1,001 yards and four scores, rushed twice for nine yards, returned 12 punts for 91 yards and ran back seven kickoffs for 142 yards.

That led to the opportunity to play in the NFL. The Broncos signed him with the intention of him catching passes, not throwing them. However, in a pinch, he stepped up and agreed to play quarterback in an NFL game with almost no advance notice.

Clawson said he was very proud of the 23-year-old Wake Forest alumnus.

The coach said it’s unlikely he would ask Hinton to speak to the team this season, since he is in Denver and the team is in a protective bubble.

“Kendall’s not a big speechmaker,” Clawson said. “I’m sure he’ll get back here in the off-season, and we’ll see him. And, again, we’re really proud of him as we are of all our Deacs who graduate here and go on to play in the NFL and do other things.

“That was a neat story and we hope that’s not the end. I’m sure he’s got more to his story,” he said. “We just hope to see him as a punt returner and a receiver.”