Background and career
Torry Jabar Holt (born June 5, 1976) is an American former professional 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, and earned consensus 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".
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.
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 of 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. 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.
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 inches at the 1999 NFL Combine
Holt was the sixth overall draft pick in the first round of the 1999 NFL draft and the first selection made by the St. Louis Rams. On July 23, 1999, Holt signed a five-year, $10 million contract, including a $5.4 million signing bonus, with the Rams. In his NFL debut in Week 1 of the 1999 season, he scored a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens in a 27–10 win. In Week 12, against the New Orleans Saints, he had two touchdown receptions in the 43–12 win. In Week 14, he had six receptions for 113 yards in a 30–14 win over the Saints. In Week 17, he had five receptions for 122 yards and two touchdowns in a 38–31 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. In his rookie season, he posted 52 receptions, 788 total yards and six touchdowns on the way to the Super Bowl XXXIV championship. In the Super Bowl, he had seven receptions for 109 yards and a third-quarter touchdown in the 23–16 win over the Tennessee Titans. He was name to the PFWA NFL All-Rookie Team.
Holt started the 2000 season with back-to-back games with over 100 receiving yards. In Week 4, he had three receptions for 189 yards and two touchdowns in a 41–20 win over the Atlanta Falcons. In Week 10, he had four receptions for 130 yards in a 27–24 loss to the Carolina Panthers. In Week 12, against Washington, he had four receptions for 125 yards in a 33–20 loss. In Week 15, against the Minnesota Vikings, he had nine receptions for 172 yards in a 40–29 win. In Week 16, a road 38–35 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he had nine receptions for 165 yards and a touchdown. In the 2000 season, Holt finished with 82 receptions for 1,635 yards and six touchdowns. Holt received Pro Bowl honors for the first time for his performance in the 2000 season.
