TORRY HOLT

Football

Position: Wide Receiver
Born:June 5, 1976; Gibsonville, North Carolina
Played For: St. Louis Rams (1999-2008), Jacksonville Jaguars, (2008-2009)

A member of “The Greatest Show on Turf,” Torry Holt was the No. 1 draft choice (sixth overall selection) of the St. Louis Rams in the 1999 NFL draft after his record-braking career at North Caroline State University. His impact was immediate in helping the Rams win the Super Bowl XXXIV championship.

In his rookie season the N.C. State product posted 52 receptions, 788 total yards and six touchdowns during the regular season enroute to the playoffs and an additional 20 catches for 242 yards during the post season, including one touchdown catch in the Super Bowl. Holt also established a Super Bowl rookie record for receptions (seven) and receiving yards (109) in 1999. He was named the club’s 1999 Rookie of the Year for his efforts.

Torrance Jabar “Big Game” Holt really broke out the following season, latching onto 82 passes for 1,635 yards, just shy of 20 yards per catch. In fact, in 2000, Holt set an NFL record by averaging 63 yards per reception in a game against Atlanta. The 2000 season began an incredible string of six consecutive seasons that Holt had more than 1,300 yards receiving and eight straight years that he surpassed the 1,000-yard plateau. Holt’s streak was broken in 2006, due to injuries to both himself and other teammates that hindered the Rams’ offense.

torryholtcatch625mar5Holt’s career also includes seven Pro Bowls (2000, 2001, 2003–2007) including five straight, 74 career touchdowns for 446 points (including a pair of two-point conversions) and 920 career receptions. He ranks among the top 10 leaders in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and receptions, and finished in the top 10 in those three categories from 2003–2007. Holt has also led the league in receiving yardage on two separate occasions (2000, 2003), and receptions once (2003). Holt is tenth all time in receiving yards, and 11th all time in pass receptions. The 6-foot, 190-pound receiver was a first-team All- Pro in 2003 and a second-team selection in 2006. On October 15, 2006, Holt became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 10,000 receiving yards doing so in the sixth game of his eighth season and also to 11,000 yards. But his excellence on the pro football field shouldn’t have been a surprise.

At N.C. State Torry Holt was a human highlight film from 1995-98 and culminated his career by being named a consensus All-American. Holt rewrote the N.C. State record books, setting single game, single season and career records in almost every passing category. He also set an ACC record with 3,379 reception yards for his career. The two-time All-ACC performer was named the ACC Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year following his senior campaign, and was also a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, honoring the nation’s top wide receiver. His jersey was retired on Jan. 16, 1999, during halftime ceremonies of the final N.C. State-UNC basketball contest that was played in Reynolds Coliseum.

During Holt’s 10 seasons with the Rams, he started 147 of 158 games, recording 869 receptions for 12,660 yards, and 74 touchdowns. In March of 2009, Holt requested and was granted his release from the Rams. He subsequently signed with Jacksonville that year and signed with New England in 2010, but a knee injury kept him off the field the entire season. Upon his retirement, Holt had posted the second highest receiving yards per game in a career (77.4 yards/game) and the most receiving yards in a single decade with 12,594 (2000–2009).

Holt got into broadcasting with Fox Sports, providing commentary for its NFL coverage. He joined NFL Network in 2010 as an analyst on the network’s signature show, NFL Total Access, as well as other NFL Network shows and specials. He made his debut as an analyst on the NFL Total Access: Pro Bowl Selection Show on Dec. 28, 2010.