View source for Torry Holt

{{Short description|American football player (born 1976)}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Torry Holt
| image       = Torry-Holt-Rams-vs-Jets-Nov-9-08.jpg
| image_size  =
| alt         = Torry Holt in a game against the New York Jets of week 10 on November 9, 2008
| caption     = Holt with the [[St. Louis Rams]] in 2008
| number      = 88, 81
| position    = [[Wide receiver]]
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1976|6|5|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Gibsonville, North Carolina]], U.S.
| death_date  = 
| death_place = 
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 0
| weight_lb   = 200
| high_school = [[Eastern Guilford High School|Eastern Guilford]] (Gibsonville)
| college     = [[NC State Wolfpack football|NC State]] (1995–1998)
| draftyear   = 1999
| draftround  = 1
| draftpick   = 6
| pastteams   =
* [[St. Louis Rams]] ({{NFL Year|1999|2008}})
* [[Jacksonville Jaguars]] ({{NFL Year|2009}})
* [[New England Patriots]] ({{NFL Year|2010}})*
<!-- Contract with the Rams to retire with them was for no money and was a ceremonial and unofficial contract, therefore should not be included here -->
| highlights  =
* [[List of Super Bowl champions|Super Bowl champion]] ([[Super Bowl XXXIV|XXXIV]])
* First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[2003 All-Pro Team|2003]])
* Second-team All-Pro ([[2006 All-Pro Team|2006]])
* 7× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[2001 Pro Bowl|2000]], [[2002 Pro Bowl|2001]], [[2004 Pro Bowl|2003]]–[[2008 Pro Bowl|2007]])
* 2× [[List of National Football League season receiving yards leaders|NFL receiving yards leader]] (2000, 2003)
* [[List of National Football League annual receptions leaders|NFL receptions leader]] (2003)
* [[National Football League 2000s All-Decade Team|NFL 2000s All-Decade Team]]
* [[PFWA All-Rookie Team]] ([[Pro Football Writers of America NFL All-Rookie Team#1999|1999]])
* Consensus [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1998 College Football All-America Team|1998]])
* [[Atlantic Coast Conference football individual awards#Player of the Year|ACC Player of the Year]] (1998)
* [[Atlantic Coast Conference football individual awards#Offensive Player of the Year|ACC Offensive Player of the Year]] (1998)
* 2× First-team [[List of All-Atlantic Coast Conference football teams|All-ACC]] ([[1997 All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team|1997]], [[1998 All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team|1998]]{{efn|Selected as wide receiver and [[Return specialist#Punt returner|punt returner]] this season}})
* [[NC State Wolfpack football#Retired numbers|NC State Wolfpack No. 81]] retired
* [[List of members of the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame|North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame]]
| statlabel1  = [[Reception (gridiron football)|Receptions]]
| statvalue1  = 920
| statlabel2  = [[Reception (gridiron football)|Receiving yards]]
| statvalue2  = 13,382
| statlabel3  = [[Touchdown|Receiving touchdowns]]
| statvalue3  = 74
| pfr         = HoltTo00
| HOF         = 
| CollegeHOF  = 2437 
}}

'''Torry Jabar Holt''' (born June 5, 1976) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[wide receiver]] for 11 seasons in the [[National Football League]] (NFL). He was named to the [[Pro Bowl]] seven times and retired with the 10th most receiving yards, including a record six consecutive seasons with 1,300 yards. He played [[college football]] for the [[NC State Wolfpack football|NC State Wolfpack]], and earned consensus [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] honors. He was selected by the [[St. Louis Rams]] in the first round of the [[1999 NFL draft]], and spent the next ten years with the Rams and is remembered as one of the members of "[[The Greatest Show on Turf]]".

==Early life==
Holt grew up in [[Gibsonville, North Carolina]].  He was Prep Football Report All-America selection, adding all-state honors at [[Eastern Guilford High School]] in Gibsonville. While there, he caught 129 passes during his career, gaining 2,573 yards and scoring 42 touchdowns including 56 receptions for 983 yards and 17 touchdowns as senior. He also returned three punts and three kickoffs for touchdowns during his career.  Additionally, Holt was a standout [[defensive back]] who posted 62 tackles and four interceptions as senior. He was named one of the Top 25 players in the state by the [[Charlotte Observer]]. After high school, Holt attended [[Hargrave Military Academy]] in 1995. There he caught 21 passes for 524 yards and six touchdowns.

==College career==
Holt attended [[North Carolina State University]], and played wide receiver for the [[NC State Wolfpack football]] team from 1995 to 1998. In his senior year, Holt was named [[Atlantic Coast Conference]] Offensive Player of the Year. That season, he set ACC records of 88 receptions (since broken by [[Kenneth Moore (American football)|Kenneth Moore]] of [[Wake Forest Demon Deacons football|Wake Forest]]) for 1,604 yards and an NC State record of 16 touchdown receptions. Holt was a consensus first-team All-American as senior. He was also a finalist for the [[Fred Biletnikoff Award]], given to the nation's top receiver.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Biletnikoff Award Finalists |url=https://biletnikoffaward.com/finalists/ |access-date=December 1, 2023 |website=Biletnikoff Award}}</ref> As a junior, he led the team, setting Wolfpack season records with 62 receptions for 1,099 yards, topping marks of 55 by Naz Worthen (1988) while becoming the first player in team history to gain more than 1,000 yards in a season. He started in five of the first seven games as sophomore. He majored in [[sociology]]. Holt's number, 81, was retired in 1999.<ref>{{cite web|title=Retired Football Jerseys|url=http://www.gopack.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/080908aaa.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130125193655/http://www.gopack.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/080908aaa.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 25, 2013|work=Gopack.com}}</ref>

===College statistics===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Season
! rowspan="2"| Team
! rowspan="2"| GP
! colspan="3"| Receiving
|-
! Rec !! Yds !! TD
|-
! [[1995 NCAA Division I-A football season|1995]] !! [[1995 NC State Wolfpack football team|NC State]]
| 11 || 17 || 261 || 1
|-
! [[1996 NCAA Division I-A football season|1996]] !! [[1996 NC State Wolfpack football team|NC State]]
| 7 || 24 || 415 || 3
|-
! [[1997 NCAA Division I-A football season|1997]] !! [[1997 NC State Wolfpack football team|NC State]]
| 11 || 62 || 1,099 || 16
|-
! [[1998 NCAA Division I-A football season|1998]] !! [[1998 NC State Wolfpack football team|NC State]]
| 11 || 88 || 1,604 || 11
|-
! colspan="2"| [https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/torry-holt-1.html Total] || 40 || 191 || 3,379 || 31
|}

==Professional career==

===Pre-draft===
{{nfl predraft
|    height ft = 6
|    height in = 0 1/4
|       weight = 192
|         dash = 4.38
|    ten split = 1.57
| twenty split = 2.62
|      shuttle = 
|   cone drill = 
|     vertical = 37
|     broad ft = 9
|     broad in = 10
|        bench = 15
|    wonderlic = 
|     arm span = 30 1/4
|    hand span = 9 5/8
|         note = 40-yard dash result is from NC State [[Pro Day]] workout, all other values from 1999 [[NFL Scouting Combine]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=61012&DraftYear=1999| title=Torry Holt, North Carolina State, WR, 1999 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football |date=March 25, 2009 |access-date=April 16, 2009|work=draftscout.com}}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20190130110237/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CO&s_site=charlotte&p_multi=CO&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F244AA226A18D8D&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Charlotte Observer] "HOLT'S FAST 40 TIME PUTS FEARS TO REST",  April 12, 1999.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?i=5218 |title=Torry Holt, Combine Results, WR - North Carolina State |website=nflcombineresults.com |access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref>
}}

After injuring his knee at the [[Senior Bowl]], Holt, at 192 pounds, ran a 4.44 second 40-yard dash and had a vertical jump of 37&nbsp;inches at the 1999 [[NFL Combine]]<ref>[http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/profile.php?pyid=61012 Torry Holt, WR, North Carolina State - 1999 NFL Draft Scout Profile, Powered by The SportsXchange<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070609062041/http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/profile.php?pyid=61012 |date=June 9, 2007 }}</ref><ref>Holt, Torry (March 23, 1999).[https://web.archive.org/web/20010517071741/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/news/1999/03/23/diary_holt/ Sports Illustrated.com]"Ready to Show Everyone", Retrieved April 18, 2009.</ref>

===St. Louis Rams===
Holt was the sixth overall draft pick in the [[1999 NFL draft]] and the first selection made by the [[St. Louis Rams]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1999 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1999/draft.htm |access-date=March 28, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> On July 23, 1999, Holt signed a five-year, $10 million contract, including a $5.4 million signing bonus, with the Rams.<ref>[[The Washington Times]]. July 24, 1999. Retrieved September 10, 2010.</ref> In his rookie season, he posted 52 receptions, 788 total yards and six touchdowns on the way to the [[Super Bowl XXXIV]] championship.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl XXXIV - St. Louis Rams vs. Tennessee Titans - January 30th, 2000 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200001300oti.htm |access-date=December 1, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> From 1999 to 2001, the Rams scored over 500 points each season, and their offense was dubbed "[[The Greatest Show on Turf]]".<ref name=retire>{{cite news |title=Former star WR Torry Holt retires with the Rams |date=April 4, 2012 |work=yahoo.com |agency=Associated Press |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-rams-holtretirement |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405000651/http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-rams-holtretirement |archive-date=April 5, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

For the six seasons from 2000 to 2005, Holt reached at least 1,300 yards every season, a league record of six consecutive seasons.<ref name=retire/> Holt's streak was broken in 2006, due to injuries to himself and other teammates that hindered the offense for parts of the season. Holt came into the NFL as #88, but in 2002 changed his number to 81 (worn by [[Az-Zahir Hakim]] previously).

Holt's career also includes 7 Pro Bowls (2000, 2001, 2003&ndash;2007) including five straight, 74 career touchdowns for 448 points (including 2 two-point conversions) and 920 career receptions.  At the time of his retirement, Holt ranked among the top 10 active leaders in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and receptions, and, from 2003-2007, finished in the top ten of those three categories for five straight seasons.  Holt has also led the league in receiving yardage on two occasions (2000, 2003), and receptions once (2003). As of the beginning of the [[2025 NFL season|2025 season]], Holt is [[List of NFL career receiving yards leaders|seventeenth all time in receiving yards]], and [[List of NFL career receptions leaders|twenty-sixth all time in pass receptions]].
[[File:Torry Holt makes reception at 2008 Pro Bowl 080210-N-4965F-030.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Holt makes a reception at the [[2008 Pro Bowl]].]]
Prior to the 2003 seasons Holt agreed to a 7-year $42 million contract extension that included a $12.5 million signing bonus.<ref>[https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60B1FFE35580C7A8DDDAE0894DB404482 New York Times] July 19, 2003. Retrieved September 10, 2010.</ref> Holt led the NFL in receptions in 2003 and led the NFL in receiving yardage in 2000 and 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2003 NFL Receiving |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2003/receiving.htm |access-date=2025-01-07 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He 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.

His request for a [[Legal release|release]] was granted by the Rams on March 13, 2009.<ref>[http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/rams/story/7CB45135FA618E4A8625757800714DBD?OpenDocument Rams release Torry Holt] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090316040633/http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/rams/story/7CB45135FA618E4A8625757800714DBD?OpenDocument |date=March 16, 2009 }}</ref> If he was not released, he would have been due $5.65 and $6.65 million in the last two years of his contract.

Holt finished his 10-year career with the Rams starting 147 of 158 games, recording 869 receptions for 12,660 yards, and 74 [[touchdowns]]—ranking second in Rams' history in each category behind [[Isaac Bruce]].<ref name=retire/>

===Jacksonville Jaguars===
Holt was signed by the [[Jacksonville Jaguars]] on April 20, 2009, to a 3-year, $20 million deal.<ref name="JagsSign">{{cite news|url=http://www.titansradio.com/Article.asp?id=1283924&spid=27572|title=Jags Sign WR Holt To Multi-Year Deal|date=April 20, 2009|access-date=April 20, 2009}}</ref><ref name="Source">{{Cite web |last=Clayton |first=John |date=April 20, 2009 |title=WR Holt agrees to three-year deal with Jaguars|agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=4084662 |access-date=December 1, 2023 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> Holt had 51 catches and 722 receiving yards but did not score a single touchdown.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Torry Holt 2009 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HoltTo00/gamelog/2009/ |access-date=December 1, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Holt was released by the team on February 11, 2010, and only earned $3.45 million of the $20 million contract.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 11, 2010 |title=Jaguars release veterans Holt, Thomas after young depth arises |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/jaguars-release-veterans-holt-thomas-after-young-depth-arises-09000d5d8165a00a |access-date=December 1, 2023 |website=NFL.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Injuries and retirement===
On April 20, 2010, Holt signed a one-year, $1.7 million contract with the [[New England Patriots]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/BostonNew-England-Patriots/post/_/id/4677529/patriots-agree-with-veteran-wr-holt|title=Patriots agree with veteran WR Holt|work=ESPNBoston.com|first=Mike|last=Reiss|date=April 20, 2010|access-date=November 3, 2010}}</ref> but was placed on injured reserve on August 15, 2010, as a result of a knee injury that required surgery and was released by the team on August 17, 2010, with an injury settlement.

On April 4, 2012, Holt signed a ceremonial contract with the St. Louis Rams to retire with the team.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 2, 2012 |title=Holt set to retire: 'I loved everything about being a Ram' |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/holt-set-to-retire-i-loved-everything-about-being-a-ram-09000d5d8280828e |access-date=December 1, 2023 |website=NFL.com}}</ref> He retired from professional football ranked 10th in league history with 13,382 yards receiving and 13th with 920 receptions.<ref name=retire/>

===Hall of Fame voting===
As of 2024, Holt has been eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for ten years in a row. He has made it to the semifinalist stage every year and has even been a finalist for five years in a row.<ref>{{Cite web |last=DaSilva |first=Cameron |date=February 8, 2024 |title=Torry Holt deserves to be a Hall of Famer after years of waiting his turn |url=https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2024/02/08/torry-holt-rams-hall-of-fame-vote-stats-finalist/ |access-date=February 16, 2024 |website=Rams Wire|publisher=USA Today |language=en-US}}</ref>

==NFL career statistics==
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! colspan="2"| Legend
|-
| style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|
| Won the [[Super Bowl]]
|-
| style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"|
| Led the league
|-
| '''Bold'''
| Career high
|}

===Regular season===
{| class=wikitable style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="5"| Receiving
! colspan="2"| Fumbles
|-
! GP !! GS !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Fum !! Lost
|-
! [[1999 NFL season|1999]] || style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|[[1999 St. Louis Rams season|STL]]
| 16 || 15 || 52 || 788 || 15.2 || 63 || 6 || '''3''' || '''2'''
|-
! [[2000 NFL season|2000]] || [[2000 St. Louis Rams season|STL]]
| 16 || 15 || 82 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 1,635 || '''19.9''' || '''85''' || 6 || 2 || '''2'''
|-
! [[2001 NFL season|2001]] || [[2001 St. Louis Rams season|STL]]
| 16 || 14 || 81 || 1,363 || 16.8 || 51 || 7 || 2 || 0
|-
! [[2002 NFL season|2002]] || [[2002 St. Louis Rams season|STL]]
| 16 || 11 || 91 || 1,302 || 14.3 || 58 || 4 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[2003 NFL season|2003]] || [[2003 St. Louis Rams season|STL]]
| 16 || 15 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| '''117''' || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| '''1,696''' || 14.5 || 48 || '''12''' || 1 || 0
|-
! [[2004 NFL season|2004]] || [[2004 St. Louis Rams season|STL]]
| 16 || 16 || 94 || 1,372 || 14.6 || 75 || 10 || '''3''' || 1
|-
! [[2005 NFL season|2005]] || [[2005 St. Louis Rams season|STL]]
| 14 || 14 || 102 || 1,331 || 13.0 || 44 || 9 || 2 || 1
|-
! [[2006 NFL season|2006]] || [[2006 St. Louis Rams season|STL]]
| 16 || 16 || 93 || 1,188 || 12.8 || 67 || 10 || 2 || 1
|-
! [[2007 NFL season|2007]] || [[2007 St. Louis Rams season|STL]]
| 16 || 16 || 93 || 1,189 || 12.8 || 40 || 7 || 2 || 1
|-
! [[2008 NFL season|2008]] || [[2008 St. Louis Rams season|STL]]
| 16 || 14 || 64 || 796 || 12.4 || 45 || 3 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[2009 NFL season|2009]] || [[2009 Jacksonville Jaguars season|JAX]]
| 15 || 12 || 51 || 722 || 14.2 || 63 || 0 || 1 || 1
|-
! colspan="2"| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HoltTo00.htm Career] || 173 || 158 || 920 || 13,382 || 14.5 || 85 || 74 || 19 || 10
|}

==Post-playing career==
On November 20, 2010, during the [[Raycom Sports]] broadcast of the annual NCSU game with UNC-Chapel Hill, sideline reporter [[Mike Hogewood]] prefaced an interview with Holt stating that he had retired.  Holt has since gotten into broadcasting with [[Fox Sports (USA)|Fox Sports]], providing commentary for their [[NFL on Fox|NFL]] coverage.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/daringantt/status/7099547071291392|work=Twitter.com|title=@daringantt|first=Darin|last=Gantt|date=November 23, 2010|access-date=November 23, 2010}}</ref>

Holt 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 December 28, 2010.

He is the older brother of [[Safety (American football position)|safety]] [[Terrence Holt]]. The brothers co-own [http://HoltBrothersInc.com Holt Brothers, Inc.].

Beginning in 2015, Holt became [[Heritage High School (Wake Forest, North Carolina)|Heritage High School's (NC)]] assistant football coach and wide receiver's coach, along with former NFL players [[Dewayne Washington]] and [[Willie Parker]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.highschoolot.com/heritage-hires-dewayne-washington-to-coach-football-torry-holt-to-be-assistant/14638402/| title=Heritage hires Dewayne Washington to coach football, Torry Holt to be assistant| access-date=January 15, 2017| website=highschoolot.com| date=May 11, 2015}}</ref>

===NFL records===
*Consecutive seasons with at least 1,300 yards receiving (6) (2000–2005 seasons)
*Consecutive seasons with 90+ receptions (6) (2002–2007 seasons)
*Seasons with 1,600 yards receiving (2, tied with [[Marvin Harrison]], [[Julio Jones]], [[Antonio Brown]], [[Calvin Johnson]], [[Justin Jefferson]] and, [[Tyreek Hill]])
*Highest Average Gain, Game (3 receptions +), 63.00, September 24, 2000
*Ranked first in the NFL from 2000 to 2008 with 817 receptions for 11,872 yards and 562 first downs during that span
*Ranked in the Top 10 in career receiving yards at retirement, now lies at [[List of National Football League career receiving yards leaders|#17]]
*Third-highest receiving yards per game, career (77.4 yds/game)
*Receptions in a single decade (868, 2000–2009)
*Receiving yards in a single decade (12,594, 2000–2009)

==Notes and references==
{{Notelist}}
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* {{Footballstats |nfl=torry-holt |cfl= |afl= |espn=1757 |cbs= |yahoo=4654 |fox= |pfr=H/HoltTo00 |rotoworld=}}

{{Navboxes
| title = Torry Holt—awards, championships, and honors
| list1 =
{{Atlantic Coast Conference football Player of the Year navbox}}
{{1998 NCAA Division I-A College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{1999 NFL Draft}}
{{RamsFirstPick}}
{{St. Louis Rams 1999 draft navbox}}
{{Super Bowl XXXIV}}
{{NFL receptions leaders}}
{{NFL receiving yardage leaders}}
{{St. Louis Rams 10th Anniversary Team}}
{{NFL2000s}}
}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Holt, Torry}}
[[Category:1976 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American football wide receivers]]
[[Category:Jacksonville Jaguars players]]
[[Category:NFL announcers]]
[[Category:NC State Wolfpack football players]]
[[Category:New England Patriots players]]
[[Category:All-American college football players]]
[[Category:National Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Guilford County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:St. Louis Rams players]]
[[Category:People from Gibsonville, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Alamance County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Hargrave Military Academy alumni]]
[[Category:College Football Hall of Fame inductees]]