WOODLAND HILLS, Ca. The Los Angeles Rams have to wait another year as franchise legend Torry Holt was passed over for the 12th consecutive year.
Holt, a semifinalist for every year of eligibility, advanced to the Hall of Fame as a finalist for the seventh year in a row this season.
Who Got It?
The five selections were Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly, Roger Craig, and Adam Vinatieri.
Holt’s Career Deserves Enshrinement
Here’s an except from a story that discussed Holt’s exclusion last season.
Holt remains the only Hall of Fame-eligible player with the resume to make it in from the Greatest Show on Turf to not be inducted after Dick Vermeil, Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Orlando Pace, and Isaac Bruce all got their gold jackets.
Feb 10, 2022; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Torry Holt appears on the red carpet prior to the NFL Honors awards presentation at YouTube Theater. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
From 1999-2008, the length of Holt’s Rams career, only two men led the NFL in receiving yards twice. That’s Holt and Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison. From 2000 to now, the list includes Holt, Harrison, Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson, Hall of Famer Andre Johnson, Antonio Brown, and Julio Jones. Jones will be a Hall of Famer and Brown’s predicted exclusion will have nothing to do with his play.
So how is Holt the exception? Holt is a four-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro, Super Bowl champion, two-time NFC champion and a former NFL receptions leader.
Tennessee Titans defenders Blaine Bishop (23) and Dainon Sidney (37) pursue St. Louis Rams receiver Torry Holt (88) during the second quarter of Super Bowl XXXIV inside the Georgia Dome Jan. 30, 2000.
Tennessee Titans Vs St Louis Rams In Super Bowl Xxxiv Football | Eric Parsons / The Tennessean, Nashville Tennessean via Imagn Content Services, LLC
Holt is the only pass catcher of the NFL’s 2000’s All-Decade team to not make the Hall of Fame. Pass catchers on that list include Harrison, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Tony Gonzales and Antonio Gates.
At this point, it is simply bias and idiocy that have prevented Holt’s induction. He has the numbers, years, and film. Hall of Fame, do the right thing. Give people their deserved flowers while they’re still here to enjoy it.
Verderame Agrees
Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame spoke about Holt earlier this week, regarding Holt’s candidacy, stating Holt’s exclusion is due to him falling through the cracks.
Sep 12, 2021; Inglewood, California, USA; Torry Holt speaks at the Countdown to Kickoff show at American Airlines plaza at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
“Holt is beginning to fall into the backlog of great receivers who are having a tough time getting to Canton,” stated Verderame. “As a member of the Greatest Show on Turf, Holt was brilliant. He won the Super Bowl in his rookie year of 1999 and went on to amass 13,382 receiving yards and 74 touchdowns, leading the NFL in receptions once and yardage twice. He was also a seven-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro and a member of the 2000s All-Decade Team.”
It appears Holt is being punished for the Greatest Show on Turf’s inability to win more than one Super Bowl. It’s not Holt’s fault Dick Vermeil retired.
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