Is Priest Holmes a Hall of Fame-worthy NFL Player?
Some say that Priest Holmes was one of the best running backs of his time. Others say his career was cut short by injuries. So, is Priest Holmes a Hall of Fame-worthy NFL player?
Introduction
Priest Holmes was one of the most dominant running backs in the National Football League during his prime. He played for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens, and was a three-time Pro Bowler and a two-time First-Team All-Pro. In his nine NFL seasons, he rushed for over 8,000 yards and scored 83 touchdowns. He was also an excellent receiver out of the backfield, catching over 300 passes for nearly 3,000 yards and 11 touchdowns. In 2003, he was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player.
So why isn’t Priest Holmes in the Hall of Fame?
There are a few reasons. First, his career was cut short by injuries. He missed 29 games over his final four seasons, including all of 2007. Second, he didn’t have a long period of sustained excellence. He had just four 1,000-yard seasons (two of which were cut short by injury) and only three seasons with 10 or more touchdowns. Third, he played in an era where there were a lot of great running backs. Compared to some of his contemporaries like LaDainian Tomlinson, Jamal Lewis, and Curtis Martin, Holmes’ numbers don’t look as impressive.
Fourth, and perhaps most importantly, Holmes simply wasn’t voted in by the Hall of Fame selection committee. He has been a finalist twice (in 2019 and 2020) but has not received enough votes to be inducted. In order to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, a player needs to receive 80% of the vote from the committee members.
So what do you think? Is Priest Holmes a Hall of Fame-worthy player?
Early Life and College Career
Priest Anthony Holmes was born on October 7, 1973, in San Antonio, Texas. He was a running back at Marshall High School, where he was named the offensive player of the year by the San Antonio Light newspaper as a senior. He went on to play college football at the University of Texas at Austin.
As a Longhorn, Holmes rushed for 2,956 yards and 34 touchdowns over his four-year career. He was a two-time All-Big 12 selection and was named a first-team All-American by USA Today as a senior in 1997. That year, he also finished second in voting for the Heisman Trophy behind only Michigan Wolverines quarterback Charles Woodson.
NFL Career
Priest Holmes played for the Kansas City Chiefs from 2001 to 2007. During that time, he was one of the most productive running backs in the NFL. In 2003, he had an incredible season, rushing for 1,615 yards and 21 touchdowns. He was named the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year.
Unfortunately, injuries caught up with Holmes and he was forced to retire in 2007. He played in just seven games that year.
Despite his relatively short career, Priest Holmes is still considered one of the best running backs of his generation. He was a three-time Pro Bowler and was named to the All-Pro team twice. He still holds several Chiefs’ franchise records.
Some people believe that Priest Holmes deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. After all, he was one of the best running backs of his era. Others believe that his career wasn’t long enough to merit induction into the Hall of Fame. What do you think?
Legacy
Priest Holmes is one of the most prolific running backs in NFL history. He was a three-time Pro Bowler and was named the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2002. He retired as the Kansas City Chiefs’ all-time leading rusher, and his 27 rushing touchdowns in 2003 is an NFL record.
Despite his impressive career numbers, some argue that Holmes is not worthy of a spot in the Hall of Fame. They point to the fact that he only played for eight seasons and was not a dominant player for his entire career. Others argue that Priest Holmes deserves to be in the Hall of Fame because he was one of the best running backs of his generation and had a major impact on the game.
Conclusion
So, is Priest Holmes a Hall of Fame-worthy NFL player? It’s certainly a debatable topic, but there’s no denying that he was one of the league’s most productive players during his prime. His career numbers are impressive, and he was a key contributor to several successful Kansas City Chiefs teams. Ultimately, whether or not he ultimately gets inducted into the Hall of Fame will come down to how voters view his accomplishments relative to other players at his position.
