Priest Holmes

Infobox NFLretired


name=Priest Holmes
width=
caption=
position=Running back
number=31, 33
birthdate=birth date and age|1973|10|7
Fort Smith, Arkansas
deathdate=
debutyear=1997
finalyear=2007
undraftedyear=1997
college=Texas
teams=
* Baltimore Ravens (1997-2000)
* Kansas City Chiefs (2001-2007)
stat1label=Rushing yards
stat1value=8,172
stat2label=Average
stat2value=4.6
stat3label=Touchdowns
stat3value=94
nfl=HOL627237
highlights=
* 3x Pro Bowl selection (2001, 2002, 2003)
* 3x All-Pro selection (2001, 2002, 2003)
* Super Bowl champion (XXXV)
* 2002 NFL Offensive Player of the Year

Priest Anthony Holmescite web|title=Holmes at databasefootball|work=databasefootball.com |url=http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=HOLMEPRI01|accessdate=2007-11-21] (born October 7, 1973 in Fort Smith, Arkansas) is a former American football running back of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 1997. He played college football at Texas.

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.

Early life

Holmes was raised in San Antonio, Texas, where he continues to maintain a home. After leading his team to the Texas state high school championship game and graduating from John Marshall High School, he played college football for The University of Texas, where he played with future Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams.

Professional career

Baltimore Ravens

After graduating from college, he joined the 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.

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 32 total touchdowns in 2006. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=1695245 ESPN - Chiefs RB breaks two NFL records - NFL ] ] 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. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2678804 ESPN - Deadline passes for Chiefs to activate Holmes - NFL ] ] [ [http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=chiefsholmes&prov=st&type=lgns "Chiefs RB Holmes to report to training camp"] , 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. [ [http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/nfl/rumors/post/No-Priest-on-KC-roster?urn=nfl,42703&cp=5 "No Priest on KC roster"] , 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. [ [http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-chiefs-holmesreturns&prov=ap&type=lgns "RB Priest Holmes returns to Chiefs after nearly 2-year injury absence"] , Greg Beacham, Associated Press, October 21, 2007 ]

Holmes announced his retirement on November 21, 2007 after reinjuring his neck on the previous Sunday, November 18th, in a game vs. the Indianapolis Colts. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3122112 ESPN - Holmes announces retirement from NFL - NFL ] ] At the time of his departure, Holmes held the Chiefs records for career rushing attempts (1,275), career rushing yards (5,933), career rushing touchdowns (76), and total touchdowns (83). [ [http://www.kcchiefs.com/media/misc/2006_records.pdf Kansas City Chiefs All-Time Records] ]

Personal

Holmes is an avid map collector, with over 10,000 maps.Fact|date=July 2008 Holmes also enjoys playing chess [ [http://apse.dallasnews.com/contest/2002/writing/over250/over250.columns.first2.html "All the right moves"] , Joe Posnanski, "The Kansas City Star"] and is an active member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.Fact|date=July 2008

References

Priest Holmes Foundation

* [http://www.priestholmesfoundation.com]

* [http://www.kcchiefs.com/player/priest_holmes/ Kansas City Chiefs bio]
*imdb name|1822247|name=Priest Holmes