If Torry Holt didn’t make Hall of Fame this year, will he ever?

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 the ability to put in five players per class. The 2025 class consists of four.

As Rank mentioned, it’s only going to get harder for Holt. Next year, Larry Fitzgerald becomes eligible for the Hall of Fame and he will be a first ballot player. It will be interesting to see how the voters feel about Antonio Brown, but as a four-time first-team All-Pro, he’s eligible in 2027. AJ Green is also set to become eligible. It won’t be long before there is another logjam at the wide receiver position with more modern players entering the conversation.

While Holt has waited a while, that doesn’t even mention players like Reggie Wayne and Steve Smith Sr. At some point it is fair to wonder whether or not that trio, and especially Holt who has been a seven-time finalist will finally get over the line. There are 24 players to be a finalist seven or more times before finally being inducted. Some notables are Lynn Swann who was a 14 time finalist and former Rams Tom Mack and Jack Youngblood.

Even if Holt eventually gets in, it’s a shame that he’s had to wait this long. Howard Balzer of SiriusXM NFL Radio is the media representative for Los Angeles. Every year, Balzer presents Holt’s case to the selection committee. With Holt getting to the final stage seven times and not getting in, it’s fair to question the case that Balzer is making for Holt on an almost yearly basis.

Holt was never going to be a first-ballot Hall of Fame player. He played in an era with Terrell Owens, Randy Moss, and Marvin Harrison. All three of those players are in the Hall of Fame. Still, from 2000-2009, Holt led the NFL in receptions, yards, and was fifth in touchdowns. From the time Holt entered the league to his last season playing, he statistically led all wide receivers in two of the three most important receiving stats. Again, all of that was with Moss playing who some would consider to be the best wide receiver ever and Holt out-produced him.

A few years ago, Mike Sando of The Athletic who is a voter on the Hall of Fame selection committee put together a way to compare wide receivers between eras. Sando’s method was to calculate where each receiver finished in receiving yards as a percentile of the league leader in each player’s eight best-percentile seasons, then average the results. Anyone leading the league in receiving yards finishes in the 1.0 percentile for that season. Finishing at number four was Holt. Said Sando,

“Some receivers hang around and compile for years past their primes. Not Holt, who averaged 1,216 yards per season over his 11-year career. Holt gained at least 1,300 yards in six consecutive seasons and never had fewer than 722 in any single season. He stepped into a dynamic pass-first offense as a rookie and remained productive after the Greatest Show on Turf had run its course.”

Mike Sando | The Athletic

The Rams wide receiver paved the way for modern NFL wide receivers. He was a major piece of an offense that redefined what NFL offenses look like. It’s always said that you should be able to tell the story of the NFL by walking through the Hall of Fame. It’s impossible to tell the story of the NFL without mentioning the Greatest Show on Turf. A major piece of arguably the greatest offense in NFL history should be in the Hall of Fame.

Holt’s accomplishments should speak for themselves. He was the epitome of consistency, finishing with eight consecutive 1,000 yard seasons. That’s tied for the fourth-most in NFL history. He twice led the NFL in receiving yards and once in receptions. Holt was a one-time first-team All-Pro, one-time second-team All-Pro, and seven-time Pro Bowl selection. Along with Harrison, Moss, and Owens who are all in the Hall of Fame, Holt was selected as a wide receiver on the 2000s all-decade team.

Not being recognized for his accomplishments isn’t something that Holt wasn’t used to throughout his career. In 2000, Holt led the NFL with 1,635 yards and did not earn an All-Pro selection. Holt was top-five in yards and receptions in 2004 with 10 touchdowns and did not earn an All-Pro selection. The same can be said about 2005 in which Holt had more yards and receptions than Marvin Harrison, but did not earn an All-Pro selection.

There is something to be said about some of the playoff performances. Holt had two or fewer receptions on five or more targets in three playoff games. However, when Holt had over 50 yards receiving in the playoffs, the Rams were 6-0. When he was taken away by opposing defenses, they were 0-4. Holt’s biggest game in the playoffs came as a rookie when he led the Rams in receptions with seven and had 109 receiving yards and scored the game’s first touchdown in the Super Bowl.

Again, Holt’s career accolades speak for themselves. He ranks 23rd in career approximate value according to Pro Football Reference and in 2009 when he played his last season he was 18th. Harold Jackson, Henry Ellard, Rod Smith, and Reggie Wayne are the only Hall of Fame eligible player ahead of him who are still waiting. Holt has more first team All-Pro selections and Pro Bowls than Jackson and Smith. As the years continue to go by, the hope is that Holt doesn’t get forgotten like Ellard.

Another year goes by without Torry Holt getting inducted into the Hall of Fame and the reason as to why remains a mystery. As the years continue to go by, it is fair to wonder whether or not Holt’s accomplishments will get forgotten in time.