Priest Holmes

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Priest Holmes bigraphy, stories - Player of American football

Priest Holmes : biography

October 7, 1973 –

Priest Anthony Holmes (born October 7, 1973) is a former American football running back who played eleven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Texas. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 1997.

Holmes earned a Super Bowl ring with the Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV. After rushing for just over 2,000 yards in four seasons in Baltimore, Holmes experienced breakout success after signing with the Kansas City Chiefs as a free agent in 2001. During his seven-year stint with the Chiefs, Holmes was a three-time All-Pro, three-time Pro Bowl selection and was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2002. Holmes sat out the 2006 season with a neck injury, and after a brief comeback attempt in 2007 retired from the NFL. Holmes was also inducted into the University of Texas Hall of Honor, and the Texas High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. texassports.com. Retrieved February 9th, 2012.http://www.tshof.org/highschool/inductees/ Texas Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved February 9th, 2012.

Early life

Priest Anthony Holmes was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Although he carries the last name of his biological father, he never met the man, only seeing him for the first time at his funeral. He was raised in San Antonio, Texas by his mother Norma, and stepfather Herman Morris. Retrieved February 5, 2012 When he was thirteen years old, Holmes spent a summer in Detroit, Michigan, working for his grandfather’s lawn care service. Working with much older men for twelve hours a day, six days a week, Holmes learned the work ethic that later shaped him as a football player. Retrieved February 5, 2012

Professional career

Baltimore Ravens

After graduating from college, he joined Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 1997. In the 1998 season with the Ravens, Holmes rushed for over 1,000 yards, 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 the game’s second string halfback.

Kansas City Chiefs

The following season, Holmes signed an inexpensive contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. In his first season with the Chiefs, he went beyond expectations by becoming the NFL’s leading rusher with 1,555 yards for 2001 NFL season becoming the only undrafted player to do so, until Arian Foster accomplished 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 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 later broken by LaDainian Tomlinson with 31 total touchdowns in 2006. 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’ 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 offseason, new coach Herm Edwards promoted Johnson to the starting position.

Holmes’ spinal injury did not heal by the end of the 2006 preseason, 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.

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., Yahoo! Sports, 25 July 2007 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., Yahoo! Sports, August 22, 2007 Following a mid-season trade of Michael Bennett, Holmes returned to the Kansas City roster, beginning practice on October 17, 2007. Holmes then completed the comeback 4 days later, playing in the Chief’s regular season game against the Oakland Raiders, carrying the ball 4 times. Priest 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 had 20 rushes for 65 yards., Greg Beacham, Associated Press, October 21, 2007