After being selected in the third round by the Denver Broncos in the 2012 NFL draft, Hillman played in 48 games with the team, collecting a Super Bowl ring following the 2015 season, which happened to be his best statistically.
Hillman ran for a career high 863 yards and seven touchdowns in 2015, but the Broncos released him at the end of training camp prior to the start of this season. Hillman finished his stint in Denver with 1,845 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging four yards per carry. He added 67 receptions.
Hillman was added to the roster of the Minnesota Vikings earlier this season after the injury to Adrian Peterson, but was used sparingly.