Turf Show Times
Will Rams WR Torry Holt ever make the Pro Football Hall of Fame?
For the seventh time, Rams wide receiver Torry Holt was a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. For the seventh time, Holt’s name was not read at the NFL Honors show announcing the Hall of Fame class. Holt being left out of the Hall of Fame as long as he has been is something that has left those outside of the voters room confused. To most, Holt should be a Hall of Fame lock.
In the first few years of Holt’s eligibility, it made sense that he wasn’t getting in. When Holt first became eligible, there was a log jam at the wide receiver position and it was general consensus that players had to wait. In 2014, Andre Reed got in the Hall of Fame as a two-time second-team All-Pro and seven time Pro Bowl selection. The following year, it was Tim Brown who was a one time second-team All-Pro and nine time Pro Bowl selection.
With Reed and Brown in, it finally left room for Marvin Harrison who was the top wide receiver on the Indianapolis Colts offenses with Peyton Manning. The Hall of Fame voters then opted not to induct a wide receiver in 2017 and then in 2018, they doubled up with Randy Moss and Terrell Owens.
The 2019 class once again did not see a wide receiver get inducted while the special 2020 class saw Harold Carmichael get inducted as a two-time second-team All-Pro and only four time Pro Bowl selection.
Calvin Johnson got in as a first-ballot Hall of Fame player in 2021 while the 2022 and 2023 classes didn’t include a wide receiver. Last year, Andre Johnson leap-frogged Holt as did Devin Hester. The days of “waiting your turn” seemed to be over.
The 2025 class seemed like it was finally Holt’s opportunity. As Adam Rank of NFL Media wrote in his predictions column,
“Speaking of that Rams team, it’s time to break up the logjam at the wide receiver position. There are a lot of worthy Hall of Fame candidates at the position, and the field is only going to get more stacked next time around when guys like Larry Fitzgerald, Dez Bryant and Julian Edelman become eligible for the first time. I would love to see Holt in the Hall of Fame. He deserves it as one of the most dominant receivers of his era. This is long overdue.”
This isn’t to say that a player like Antonio Gates or Jared Allen weren’t deserving of the Hall of Fame. While Sterling Sharpe had a shorter career, it seemed to be general consensus that he was long overdue. Eric Allen may not have the best resume, but a case could obviously be made for the Philadelphia Eagles’ cornerback. With how much players sacrifice for the game, it’s hard to say that anybody that makes the Hall of Fame isn’t deserving. However, the Hall of Fame voters have...
