NFL Player Profile: Torry Holt

A combination of silky smooth route running and incredible speed made Torry Holt one of the best wide receivers of the 2000s. His career spanned 11 seasons, and although he is not in the Hall of Fame, he is a Super Bowl champion and one of the best of his era. This is a breakdown of Torry “Big Game” Holt.  

College

Torry Holt played college football at NC State University from 1995 to 1998, and in his time there, Holt broke many ACC records. Holt finished his college career with 31 receiving touchdowns and 3,379 receiving yards, and was named a consensus first-team All-American as a senior, and a named a finalist for the Fred Biletnikoff Award. His number 81 was retired in 1999 by the Wolfpack. 

Rookie Year

Torry was drafted sixth overall in the 1999 St. Louis Rams, a team that would become known as the “Greatest Show on Turf.” With Hall of Famer Kurt Warner throwing to him, Holt racked in 52 receptions and 788 receiving yards in his rookie year.

In the 16 games played in 1999, Holt started 15 of them, scoring six touchdowns in that time and helping his Rams reach the Super Bowl. In Super Bowl 34 against the Tennessee Titans, Holt would have quite a performance. 109 receiving yards on seven receptions, as well as finding the endzone during the middle of the third quarter. The Greatest Show on Turf prevailed against the Titans, a 23-16 victory, and Holt was a champion. 

Prime Years

In the years that followed, Holt would have some incredible seasons. From 2000-2007, Holt amassed 1,000 receiving yards every year, becoming a 2x receiving yards leader in 2000 and 2003. ‘03 is often considered to be Holt’s best year in the pros. He was named an All-Pro, a Pro-Bowler, and finished sixth in Offensive Player of the Year voting. 

From 2003 to 2007, Holt would make the Pro Bowl every year, and from 2000 to 2007, he earned Pro Bowl honors seven times. 

Holt was partnered with another wide receiver, Issac Bruce. Together, the duo would become one of the deadliest in football, consistently racking up 1,000-yard seasons and being named All-Pros. You can’t mention Torry Holt without talking about Issac Bruce, and just like Holt, Bruce was as cold as they come.

Closing

Although he would not win another Super Bowl, no one can deny the career Holt had, and many argue that his name should be enshrined in Canton, Ohio, in the NFL Hall of Fame. Holt finished his career with 13,382 receiving yards and 74 touchdowns. That is ranked 34 all-time in history. Holt also cracked the top 20 in receiving yards all-time, ranked number 17th behind Julio Jones. 

Holt was one of the best receivers of his day, and his NFL career is one that many would be lucky to have. While he is not enshrined in Canton right now, he is one of the greatest St. Louis Rams to ever live, and hopefully, one day, his name will be a part of the Hall of Fame.