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Jacob Green

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Jacob Carl Green (born January 21, 1957) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas A&M Aggies.

Green was an All-American selection in 1979 after compiling 134 tackles and was a then school-record 20 quarterback sacks. Green’s 37 career sacks still rank second in A&M history behind Aaron Wallace’s 42 career sacks. Green owns school records for career fumbles caused (12) and season fumbles caused (six in 1978).

Green was a first-round draft pick (10th overall) in the 1980 NFL draft by the Seattle Seahawks. In his 13-year career in the NFL, Green played 12 seasons for the Seattle Seahawks, as number 79, and one season for the San Francisco 49ers. Green recorded 97.5 career sacks for the Seahawks (unofficially 116; sacks became an official NFL statistic in 1982, Green’s third season),[1] a team record and at the time of his retirement good for number three on the all-time sacks leaderboard behind only Reggie White and Lawrence Taylor.

Andre Rison

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Andre Previn Rison (born March 18, 1967) is a former American football wide receiver who played professionally for the National Football League (NFL)’s Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, and the Canadian Football League (CFL)’s Toronto Argonauts. Rison was selected to the Pro Bowl five times, from 1990 to 1993 and once again in 1997.

Rison won a Super Bowl championship with the Packers in 1997 over the New England Patriots, scoring the first points of the game on a 54-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Brett Favre. He also won a Grey Cup championship with the Toronto Argonauts in 2004. He is one of the few players to win professional football championships in both the United States and Canada. He was released by the Argonauts during the 2005 CFL season. He holds an NFL record for scoring a touchdown with 7 teams.

He was a star player at Flint Northwestern High School and in college at Michigan State University. As a senior at Michigan State, Rison had 30 receptions for 709 yards and 5 touchdowns; he was a prominent contributor to the 1987 Michigan State squad that won the Rose Bowl on January 1, 1988.

During the early portion of his career, he received the nickname “Bad Moon” Rison, a reference to the Creedence Clearwater Revival song Bad Moon Rising. Michael Adler is credited with giving the nickname to Chris Berman. When he played for the Chiefs, he had the nickname “Spiderman“.

Donovan McNabb

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Donovan McNabb

Donovan Jamal McNabb (born November 25, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football at Syracuse University and was selected second overall in the 1999 NFL Draft by the Eagles, where he spent 11 seasons. McNabb also spent a year each with the Washington Redskins and Minnesota Vikings.[1] He was inducted to the Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame in 2013.

As the Eagles’ starting quarterback from 1999 to 2009, McNabb led the team to eight playoff appearances (including five consecutive from 2000 to 2004), five division titles (including four consecutive from 2001 to 2004), five NFC Championship Games (including four consecutive from 2001 to 2004), and one Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl XXXIX.[2] McNabb ranks eighth in quarterback rushing yards and was the fourth NFL quarterback to amass over 30,000 passing yards, 200 touchdown passes, 3,000 rushing yards, and 20 rushing touchdowns.[3][4] He is also the Eagles’ franchise leader in passing yards, passing touchdowns, attempts, and completions.[5]

Early years[edit]

McNabb was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois.[6] He attended Mount Carmel High School, where as a sophomore, he was a teammate of future NFL players Simeon Rice and Matt Cushing.[7] Together, they helped Mount Carmel win the 1991 State Championship over Wheaton Central High School.[8] As a senior, he led the team to a Chicago Prep Bowl championship. He also excelled at track and field, and played basketball with Antoine Walker.[9]

College career[edit]

Though McNabb was approached by recruiters from numerous colleges, only two schools, Syracuse University and the University of Nebraska, offered him scholarships to play college football as a quarterback.[10] He initially leaned toward attending Nebraska, as he relished the idea of being coached by Tom Osborne. Eventually, however, he decided to attend Syracuse and play for the Syracuse Orange football team, principally because he wanted to prove he was a competent “pocket passer”, but also for their broadcasting journalism program.[11]

After redshirting in 1994, his first year at Syracuse, McNabb went on to start every game during his college career, compiling a 35–14 record.[12] As a freshman, he completed the longest touchdown pass in Syracuse’s history—a 96-yard throw against West Virginia University—in a game where he accounted for 354 total yards of offense;[13] he was named the Big East Conference‘s rookie of the year at the end of the season.[14] McNabb amassed 2,892 yards of total offense in his junior season to set a school record.[15] As a senior, he led Syracuse to a berth in the Orange Bowl against Florida, as he completed 157 of 251 passes (62.5%) for 2,134 yards; he also pushed the eventual champions, the Tennessee Volunteers, to the limit in a very close game. His 22 touchdown passes tied the school’s single-season record, set by former Eagle Don McPherson in 1987. McNabb also rushed 135 times for 438 yards and eight touchdowns. He ranked sixth in the nation with a 158.9 passing efficiency rating and 22nd in total offense, with 233.8 yards per game. He tied a school record with four touchdown passes against Cincinnati, and scored five touchdowns against Miami (three rushing and two passing). McNabb was also teammates with future NFL star Marvin Harrison for one season at Syracuse.

McNabb was named the Big East’s offensive player of the decade for the 1990s,[16] and Big East Offensive Player of the Year three times from 1996 to 1998,[14] as well as the first-team all-conference vote earner in each of his four seasons. He was a finalist for the 1998 Heisman Trophy. Later, he was named to the Syracuse All-Century football team.[17]

McNabb was also a walk-on for two seasons for the Syracuse basketball team under head coach Jim Boeheim.[18] He spent two years as a reserve on the school’s nationally ranked basketball team, including the 1996 squad that lost to Kentucky (a team led by his former high-school teammate Antoine Walker) in the National Championship game.

NFL career statistics[edit]

Year Team Games Passing Rushing
GP GS Record Cmp Att Pct Yds Avg TD Int Rtg Att Yds Avg TD
1999 PHI 12 6 2–4 106 216 49.1 948 4.9 8 7 60.1 47 313 6.7 0
2000 PHI 16 16 11–5 330 569 58.0 3,365 5.9 21 13 77.8 86 629 7.3 6
2001 PHI 16 16 11–5 285 493 57.8 3,233 6.6 25 12 84.3 82 482 5.9 2
2002 PHI 10 10 7–3 211 361 58.4 2,289 6.3 17 6 86.0 63 460 7.3 6
2003 PHI 16 16 12–4 275 478 57.5 3,216 6.7 16 11 79.6 71 355 5.0 3
2004 PHI 15 15 13–2 300 469 64.0 3,875 8.3 31 8 104.7 41 220 5.4 3
2005 PHI 9 9 4–5 211 357 59.1 2,507 7.0 16 9 85.0 25 55 2.2 1
2006 PHI 10 10 5–5 180 316 57.0 2,647 8.4 18 6 95.5 32 212 6.6 3
2007 PHI 14 14 8–6 291 473 61.5 3,324 7.0 19 7 89.9 50 236 4.7 0
2008 PHI 16 16 9–6–1 345 571 60.4 3,916 6.9 23 11 86.4 39 147 3.8 2
2009 PHI 14 14 10–4 267 443 60.3 3,553 8.0 22 10 92.9 37 140 3.8 2
2010 WAS 13 13 5–8 253 437 57.9 3,377 7.2 14 15 77.1 29 151 5.2 0
2011 MIN 6 6 1–5 94 156 60.3 1,026 6.6 4 2 82.9 14 59 4.2 1
Career 167 161 98–62–1 3,170 5,374 59.0 37,276 6.9 234 117 85.6 616 3,459 5.6 29

Reggie Wayne

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Reggie Wayne

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Reggie Wayne
refer to caption

Wayne in 2023
Indianapolis Colts
Position: Wide receivers coach
Personal information
Born: November 17, 1978 (age 44)
New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Height: 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight: 203 lb (92 kg)
Career information
High school: John Ehret (Marrero, Louisiana)
College: Miami (FL) (1997–2000)
NFL Draft: 2001 / Round: 1 / Pick: 30
Career history
As a player:
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
As a coach:
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Receptions: 1,070
Receiving yards: 14,345
Receiving average: 13.4
Receiving touchdowns: 82
Player stats at NFL.com

Reginald Wayne[1] (born November 17, 1978) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Miami, and was drafted by the Colts in the first round (30th overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Wayne was a member of the Colts’ Super Bowl XLI]. He ranks second in Colts’ franchise history to Marvin Harrison in major receiving categories: receptions, receiving yards, targets, and receiving touchdowns. On December 14, 2014, Wayne played in both his 209th game and his 142nd win as a member of the Colts, breaking the franchise records set by Peyton Manning.[2]

Early life[edit]

Wayne is the youngest of three sons. His father, Ralph, is a former linebacker for Grambling State.[3][4] A New Orleans Saints fan in his youth, he was more interested in baseball growing up but chose football by the time he attended John Ehret High School.[5][6]

College career[edit]

Wayne attended the University of Miami, where he was a four-year starter for the Hurricanes.[7] He set a school record of 173 career catches (including 36 consecutive games with a reception).[8] He is one of only five wide receivers in school history to post 20 or more touchdowns in his career, along with Michael Irvin, Lamar Thomas, Leonard Hankerson, and Andre Johnson. Wayne’s 48 receptions during the 1997 season set a school record for freshmen, which still stands today. Wayne also ran track and field at the University of Miami, where he recorded a personal best of 21.87 seconds in the 200 meters. Wayne graduated with a degree in liberal arts; his roommate was future Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed.[9][10] Wayne was also teammates with future Indianapolis Colts teammate Edgerrin James while at ‘The U’.[11]

College statistics[edit]

Season Games Receiving
GP GS Rec Yds Avg TD
1997 11 10 48 640 13.3 2
1998 9 9 42 629 15.0 4
1999 12 12 40 486 12.1 4
2000 11 11 43 755 17.5 10
Total 43 42 173 2,510 14.3 20

Wayne was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame at their 43rd Annual Induction Banquet held on March 24, 2011.[12]

Professional career[edit]

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash Vertical jump
6 ft 0 in
(1.83 m)		 198 lb
(90 kg)		 32 in
(0.81 m)		 9 in
(0.23 m)		 4.45 s 36.0 in
(0.91 m)
All values from NFL Combine[13][14]

Indianapolis Colts[edit]

Wayne fights for the ball in a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, 2007

Wayne was selected by the Indianapolis Colts as the 30th selection in the 2001 NFL Draft, the sixth of 34 wide receivers taken in a draft class that included eight future pro-bowlers at the position.[15] He was expected to eventually complement the Colts’ other star receiver, Marvin Harrison. He played all 211 games of his career for the Colts.[16]

2001 season[edit]

Wayne made his NFL debut in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills.[17] He made his first NFL reception in Week 4 against the Oakland Raiders.[18] As a rookie, Wayne caught 27 passes for 345 receiving yards. He only made nine starts and missed three games altogether due to a high ankle sprain.[19][17]

2002 season[edit]

In Week 3, against the Houston Texans, Wayne scored his first NFL touchdown on a 43-yard reception from Peyton Manning.[20] In Week 10, against the Philadelphia Eagles, he had six receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown in the 35–13 victory, his first game going over the 100-yard mark.[21] In Week 14 against the Tennessee Titans, he had five receptions for 103 yards.[22] In Week 16 against the New York Giants, he had six receptions for 104 yards and two touchdowns.[23] In his second NFL season, Wayne caught 49 passes for 716 yards and four touchdowns in 16 games and seven starts.[24]

2003 season[edit]

In Week 3 of the 2003 season against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Wayne had ten receptions for 141 yards and two touchdowns in the 23–13 victory.[25] In Week 8, in a 30–21 victory over the Houston Texans, he had two receiving touchdowns.[26] In Week 11, against the New York Jets, he had nine receptions for 141 yards in the 38–31 victory.[27] In the 2003 season, Wayne caught 68 balls for 838 yards and seven touchdowns.[28]

Wayne recorded a receiving touchdown in both of the Colts’ playoff victories in the Wild Card Round against the Denver Broncos and the Divisional Round against the Kansas City Chiefs.[29][30]

2004 season[edit]

In Week 2 of the 2004 season, Wayne had seven receptions for 119 yards and a touchdown in the 31–17 victory over the Tennessee Titans.[31] In Week 3, he had 11 receptions for 184 receiving yards and a touchdown in a 45–31 win over the Green Bay Packers.[32] In Week 8, against the Kansas City Chiefs, he had six receptions for 119 receiving yards and two touchdowns.[33] In Week 11 against the Chicago Bears, he had six receptions for 106 yards and a touchdown in the 41–10 victory.[34] In the 2004 season, Wayne caught 77 passes for 1,210 yards and 12 touchdowns during a season in which Colts quarterback Peyton Manning threw a then-record 49 touchdowns.[35][36] Wayne had ten receptions for 221 yards and two touchdowns in the Wild Card Round, the third-most receiving yards in a postseason game at the time as the Colts beat the Denver Broncos 49–24.[37][38]

2005 season[edit]

In Week 9 of the 2005 season, Wayne had nine receptions for 124 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown in the 40–21 victory over the New England Patriots.[39] In Week 11, he had five receptions for 117 yards and one touchdown in the 45–37 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.[40] In Week 17, against the Arizona Cardinals, the 13–2 Colts rested most of their top players in preparation for the playoffs, and Wayne had zero receptions for the last time in his remaining 134 regular season games.[41][42] In 2005, Wayne had 83 receptions for 1,055 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns.[43]

In the playoffs, Wayne had 97 yards, a two-point conversion, and a critical 22-yard reception to set up a potential game-tying field goal in a 21–18 loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers in the Divisional Round.[44]

2006 season[edit]

In 2006, Wayne signed a six-year, $39.5 million contract.[45] In Week 2, Wayne had six receptions for 135 receiving yards in the 43–24 win over the Houston Texans.[46] In Week 7 against Washington, he had seven receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown in the 36–22 victory.[47] He had ten receptions for 138 yards and three touchdowns in Week 8 against the Denver Broncos.[48] In Week 11, against the Dallas Cowboys, he had seven receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown.[49] In Week 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he had eight receptions for 110 yards.[50] He recorded 86 receptions for 1,310 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.[51] As a result, Wayne was selected to his first Pro Bowl.[52]

In the postseason, Wayne had five receptions in each of the first three games. In the Wild Card Round against the Kansas City Chiefs, Wayne had a receiving touchdown in the 23–8 victory.[53] In the Divisional Round against the Baltimore Ravens, he had five receptions for 51 yards in the 15–6 victory where all of the Colts’ points came from field goals.[54] In the AFC Championship against the New England Patriots, he had five receptions for 68 yards in the 38–34 victory, the Colts first over New England in the postseason.[55][56] He helped the Colts defeat the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI with a 53-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter.[57]

2007 season[edit]

Wayne started off the 2007 season with seven receptions for 115 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns against the New Orleans Saints in a 41–10 victory in Week 1.[58] In Week 7 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he had nine receptions for 131 receiving yards in the 29–7 victory.[59] In Week 8, he recorded seven receptions for 168 yards with a touchdown in a 31–7 win over the Carolina Panthers.[60] In Week 10 against the San Diego Chargers, he had ten receptions for 140 yards and a touchdown.[61] In Week 13, in the Colts’ second divisional game against the Jaguars, he had eight receptions for 158 yards and a touchdown in the 28–25 victory.[62] In Week 16 against the Houston Texans, he had ten receptions for 143 receiving yards and a touchdown in the 38–15 victory.[63] In 2007, Wayne responded to a rash of injuries on the team, including Harrison and tight end Dallas Clark, by setting a then-career-high in receptions (104), and a career-high in yards (1,510).[64] He led the league in receiving yards and was selected to go to the Pro Bowl for the second consecutive year.[65][66]

In the Divisional Round of the playoffs, Wayne had a receiving touchdown in the 28–24 loss to the San Diego Chargers.[67]

2008 season[edit]

Wayne opened the 2008 season with a receiving touchdown four of the Colts’ first five games. In that stretch was a eight-catch, 118-yard, one-touchdown game against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6, a 31–3 victory.[68] In the 2008 season, Wayne posted a Pro Bowl season for the third consecutive year with 82 catches for 1,145 yards and six touchdowns.[69][70] He had a 65-yard score on the opening drive of Week 10 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.[71] In the Wild Card Round, he had 129 yards including a 72-yard touchdown, but the Colts lost in overtime, eliminated in the first round by the San Diego Chargers for the second consecutive year.[72]

2009 season[edit]

In Week 10 of 2009, Wayne caught the winning touchdown pass with 0:14 left against the New England Patriots in what is now known as the “4th and 2” game.[73] He totaled 100 receptions for 1,264 receiving yards and ten receiving touchdowns on the season.[74] Wayne was also selected as a starter for the Pro Bowl,[75] but couldn’t play due to the Colts playing in the Super Bowl. In Super Bowl XLIV, Wayne had 5 catches for 46 yards, but the Colts lost to the New Orleans Saints 31–17.[76]

2010 season[edit]

Wayne playing against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2010

In 2010, Wayne was second in the NFL receptions with 111 (a career-high), and third in receiving yards with 1,355.[77] During a season where the Colts heavily relied on Peyton Manning to win games, Wayne again cemented himself as one of the top receivers in the NFL. This included a franchise-record 15 receptions which he converted into 196 yards against Jacksonville in Week 4, and 14 receptions for 200 yards in Week 13 against Dallas. Wayne was selected to his fifth Pro Bowl and earned first team All-Pro honors for the first time.[78][79] He was ranked 31st by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2011.[80]

2011 season[edit]

Wayne’s numbers were lower than usual in 2011 without Peyton Manning starting at quarterback, though he still led team in receptions (75) and receiving yards (960). He had four touchdown receptions as well.[81] On September 25, 2011, Wayne recorded his 800th catch against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

2012 season[edit]

On March 13, 2012, the Colts re-signed Wayne to a three-year contract.[82] Before the 2012 Week 5 matchup with the Green Bay Packers, the news of head coach Chuck Pagano‘s leukemia surfaced. Wayne’s history with Pagano goes back to his college years, where Pagano was the Hurricanes’ defensive backs coach, and Pagano’s hiring as the Colts’ head coach was a large factor in Wayne’s decision to re-sign with Indianapolis. In response, Wayne caught 13 passes for a career-high 212 receiving yards and a game-winning touchdown from rookie quarterback Andrew Luck; Wayne earned the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award due to his performance, the first of his career.[83] In Week 12 against Buffalo Bills, Wayne broke Cris Carter‘s record of consecutive games with three or more receptions with 59 games. He also passed former Washington Redskins receiver Art Monk for 12th on the NFL’s all-time receptions list during the first half.[84] In the 2012 season, Wayne had 106 receptions for 1,355 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns.[85] He was named to his sixth Pro Bowl.[86]

During the Wild Card Round against the Baltimore Ravens, Wayne had 114 yards on nine receptions and moved into second in career playoff catches with 92—59 behind leader Jerry Rice. However, the Colts lost the game, 24–9.[87] He was ranked 21st by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2013.[88]

Wayne was selected as the wide receiver for USA Football’s 2012 All-Fundamentals Team, which honors 26 NFL players each year for executing the fundamentals of their position.[89]

2013 season[edit]

In 2013, Wayne again posted 100 yards against Jacksonville in Week 4. In a Week 6 loss to San Diego, Wayne became the ninth player to reach 1,000 career receptions. However, a week later, Wayne tore his ACL; it was announced the next day that he would miss the remainder of the 2013 season. The injury also ended his consecutive games played streak at 189, the third-longest for a wide receiver in NFL history.[90]

2014 season[edit]

With the retirement of Tony Gonzalez, 36-year-old Wayne entered 2014 as the active leader in career receiving yards. He gained 98 more in a season-opening loss to the Denver Broncos, and 119 in Week 4 against the Tennessee Titans. In Week 8, Wayne became the ninth receiver in NFL history to record 14,000 receiving yards.[91] He suffered an elbow injury in the game and missed the following week’s matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.[92] Near the conclusion of the Colts’ 2014 season, it was announced that Wayne had played with a torn triceps since Week 6, which would require an offseason surgery to repair.[93] He finished the 2014 season with 64 receptions for 779 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.[94]

He had just one reception in the Colts’ three post-season games, concluding his career with franchise records for postseason receptions (93); receiving yards, yards-from-scrimmage, and all-purpose yards (1,254), receiving and total touchdowns (9), games with at least one touchdown (8), and games with 100+ yards receiving (3, shared with Dallas Clark and T. Y. Hilton).[95]

On March 6, 2015, the Colts announced that they would not re-sign Wayne, which made him a free agent on March 10.[96]

Retirement[edit]

Wayne at practice with the New England Patriots, 2015

On August 24, 2015, Wayne signed a one-year contract with the New England Patriots worth up to $3 million.[97][98] On September 5, 2015, Wayne requested and was granted his release from the Patriots.[99]

On January 15, 2016, after not playing the entire 2015 season, Wayne announced his retirement from professional football, saying, “It was fun, but it’s time. It’s just time. Whenever you can admit that you’re done, you know you’re done.”[100] At the time of his retirement, he finished his NFL career 7th all-time in career receptions, 8th all-time in receiving yards, and 17th in career touchdown receptions.[101][102][103]

NFL career statistics[edit]

Legend
Won the Super Bowl
Led the league
Bold Career high

Regular season[edit]

Year Team Games Receiving Rushing Fumbles
GP GS Rec Yds Avg Lng TD Att Yds Avg Lng TD Fum Lost
2001 IND 13 9 27 345 12.8 43 0 — — — — — 0 0
2002 IND 16 7 49 716 14.6 49 4 — — — — — 2 1
2003 IND 16 16 68 838 12.3 57T 7 — — — — — 0 0
2004 IND 16 16 77 1,210 15.7 71T 12 1 −4 −4.0 −4 0 0 0
2005 IND 16 16 83 1,055 12.7 66T 5 — — — — — 1 0
2006 IND 16 16 86 1,310 15.2 51T 9 — — — — — 1 0
2007 IND 16 16 104 1,510 14.5 64 10 1 4 4.0 4 0 3 3
2008 IND 16 16 82 1,145 14.0 65T 6 — — — — — 0 0
2009 IND 16 16 100 1,264 12.6 65T 10 — — — — — 0 0
2010 IND 16 16 111 1,355 12.2 50 6 — — — — — 1 1
2011 IND 16 16 75 960 12.8 56T 4 — — — — — 0 0
2012 IND 16 15 106 1,355 12.8 33 5 1 −5 −5.0 −5 0 1 1
2013 IND 7 7 38 503 13.2 35 2 1 5 5.0 5 0 0 0
2014 IND 15 15 64 779 12.2 80 2 — — — — — 1 1
Career 211 197 1,070 14,345 13.4 80 82 4 0 0.0 5 0 10 7

Priest Holmes

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Priest Holmes

Baltimore Ravens[edit]

After graduating from college, he joined Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 1997. Holmes spent his entire rookie season as the Baltimore Ravens’ fourth-string running back, behind Bam Morris, Earnest Byner, and Jay Graham.[11] On September 24, 1997, Holmes made his professional regular season debut as part of the special teams unit during a 38-10 victory at the Tennessee Oilers in Week 4. He appeared in seven games as a rookie in 1997.[12]

During training camp in 1998, Holmes competed to be the starting running back after the departures of Bam Morris and Earnest Byner. Head coach Ted Marchibroda named Holmes the third running back on the depth chart to begin the regular season, behind Errict Rhett and Jay Graham. On September 6, 1998, Holmes had six carries for 23 rushing yards and caught two passes for four receiving yards during a 20-13 loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In the 1998 season with the Ravens, Holmes rushed for over 1,000 yards (leading the team in rushing) including one 200-plus yard game, the highest single game total of the season.

In the 2000 season, he was supplanted as a starter by rookie running back Jamal Lewis. The Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV with Holmes as their second string halfback.

Kansas City Chiefs[edit]

In 2001, Holmes signed an inexpensive contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. In his first season with the Chiefs, he exceeded expectations by leading the NFL in rushing with 1,555 yards for the 2001 NFL season, becoming the first undrafted player to do so. (Arian Foster was next to accomplish the feat during the 2010 NFL season.)

Despite missing the final two games in the 2002 NFL season because of a hip injury, Holmes rushed for 1,615 yards with 21 touchdowns. In the 2003 NFL season, he broke Marshall Faulk‘s NFL record for total touchdowns in a season with 27, which was subsequently broken by Shaun Alexander with 28 total touchdowns in 2005 and broken again by LaDainian Tomlinson with 31 total touchdowns in 2006.[13] Holmes and Emmitt Smith are the only two running backs in NFL history to have back to back seasons with 20 or more rushing touchdowns. On a pace to repeat the feat in 2004, he suffered an injury that ended his season with 14 touchdowns.

Holmes’s 2005 season was also cut short by an injury to his spinal column from a tackle by Shawne Merriman on October 30, 2005. He was replaced for the season by backup Larry Johnson. During the following off-season, new head coach Herm Edwards promoted Johnson to the starting position. Holmes’s spinal injury did not heal by the end of the 2006 pre-season, and he was placed on the Chiefs’ Physically Unable to Perform list for the season. Larry Johnson took over full-time as the Chiefs’ starting running back.[14] Throughout the 2006 season, Holmes repeatedly said that he would like to return for at least two or three more seasons in the NFL, but that he would not force a comeback if it could be detrimental to his long term health.

Following encouraging medical tests, Holmes reported to the Chiefs’ training camp in July 2007.[14][15] However, the Chiefs did not include him on the roster at the start of the season, listing him on the non-football injury list instead.[16] Michael Bennett was traded at mid-season, and Holmes returned to the Kansas City roster, beginning practice on October 17, 2007. Holmes then completed the comeback four days later, playing in the Chiefs regular season game against the Oakland Raiders, carrying the ball four times. He made his first start since October 30, 2005 against the San Diego Chargers and played in a home game on November 11, 2007 in a 27-11 loss to the Denver Broncos. Holmes led the Chiefs with 20 rushes for 65 yards.[17][18]

Retirement[edit]

Holmes announced his retirement on November 21, 2007 after re-injuring his neck on the previous Sunday, November 18, in a game against the Indianapolis Colts.[19]

Legacy[edit]

Holmes retired as the Chiefs’ all-time leader for career rushing touchdowns (76), total touchdowns (83), and career rushing yards (6,070).[20] His rushing yards record has since been broken by Jamaal Charles. The team inducted Holmes into the Chiefs Hall of Fame during the 2014 season.[21] The induction ceremony took place on November 2 at halftime of a game against the New York Jets.

NFL career statistics[edit]

Legend
AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year
Won the Super Bowl
Led the league
Bold Career high

Regular season[edit]

Year Team Games Rushing Receiving
GP GS Att Yds Avg Lng TD Rec Yds Avg Lng TD
1997 BAL 7 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0
1998 BAL 16 13 233 1,008 4.3 56 7 43 260 6.0 25 0
1999 BAL 9 4 89 506 5.7 72 1 13 104 8.0 34 1
2000 BAL 16 2 137 588 4.3 21 2 32 221 6.9 27 0
2001 KC 16 16 327 1,555 4.8 41 8 62 614 9.9 67 2
2002 KC 14 14 313 1,615 5.2 56 21 70 672 9.6 64 3
2003 KC 16 16 320 1,420 4.4 31 27 74 690 9.3 36 0
2004 KC 8 8 196 892 4.6 33 14 19 187 9.8 52 1
2005 KC 7 7 119 451 3.8 35 6 21 197 9.4 60 1
2006 KC 0 0 did not play due to injury
2007 KC 4 2 46 137 3.0 11 0 5 17 3.4 8 0
Career 113 82 1,780 8,172 4.6 72 86 339 2,962 8.7 67 8