Why no NFL HOF gold jacket for St. Louis Rams Torry Holt?

The St. Louis Rams’ offense in 1999 was so good that they were given the nickname of the Greatest Show on Turf. The team became the blueprint of the modern NFL aerial assault and set the bar for some of the most creative and league-changing innovations that continue on to this day.

If you somehow missed the significance of that team, and that era, check out this link here. Take the time to watch this one. It’s one of the best NFL historical films in any video. I watched it multiple times.

It was such an impressive offense, that fans from other teams would pack the stadium seats and viewers would tune in just to witness the onfield fireworks. The team would create superstars from that roster who would ultimately be enshrined in the NFL Hall of Fame.

That roster was so good that the team could compete and find success even to this day. Unlike many players from the chapters of Rams’ history that played a different version of NFL football, the Rams were ahead of their time and competed in such a way that many of their principles and plays would still do well even against modern NFL teams.

Rams History: Hall of Famers

Offensive tackle Orlando Pace was enshrined in the NFL Hall of Fame with the class of 2016. He was a massive stone wall who used his 6-foot-7 324-pound frame to not only create an impassable flank, but when he rolled forward on running plays, he knocked defenders around like bowling pins.

Quarterback Kurt Warner was enshrined in the NFL Hall of Fams with the class of 2017. He would complete 66.4 percent of his passes with the Rams, throwing for 14,447 yards and 102 touchdowns in horns, and led the Rams to their first Super Bowl victory. He would go on to throw for 32,344 yards and 208 touchdowns in his career.

RB Marshall Faulk was already an established running back when he joined the Saint Louis Rams in 1999. In five seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, he put up over 5,000 yards and 42 touchdowns. But he really cranked up his offensive output for the Rams, becoming a two-pronged rushing/receiving weapon that had not been seen in the NFL before. His nearly 7000 yards and 58 touchdowns on the ground were added to his over 4000 yards and 27 touchdowns through the air. He was enshrined into the NFL Hall of Fame with the class of 2011.

WR Isaac Bruce is the All-Time Rams franchise career receiving leader. His 14,109 yards and 84 touchdowns remain franchise records to this day. Bruce would go on to play two years with the San Francisco 49ers to close out his career, ultimately putting up 15,208 yards and 91 touchdowns before he retired after the 2009 season. He was enshrined in the NFL Hall of Fame with the class of 2020.

What about Torry Holt?

The only person left from the Greatest Show on Turf who has not been indoctrinated into the NFL Hall of Fame is wide receiver, Torry Holt. Holt joined the St. Louis Rams in 1999 as a true rookie but produced like a veteran. With the St. Louis Rams, Bruce and Holt were the 1/2 combination, a pair who were great friends off the field and a deadly duo on the football field.

While Isaac Bruce holds the Rams All-Time Franchise Career Receiver records, Torry Holt is second. Second in total yards with 12,660 and second in total touchdowns with 74. How does Holt stack up to his contemporaries? Thanks to CBS NFL analyst Jeff Kerr, we have the answer.

So why isn’t Torry Holt wearing a good jacket? You tell me. He was a finalist for the NFL Class of 2022 but was not voted in. And I suppose if Rams fans remain silent, it will remain that way.

Torry Holt’s NFL career lasted 11 seasons: 10 seasons with the St. Louis Rams and one with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Many players who are on the NFL Hall of Fame Ballet have more years than Holt, and thereby appear to have generated more yards. Holt is a class act and has done everything to deserve his place in the NFL Hall of Fame.