

21, three days after what proved to be his final game. The return to the field was short-lived as he suffered another neck injury in his fourth game back against the Indianapolis Colts as he finished with 137 rushing yards on 46 carries with five catches for 17 receiving yards. Holmes did make a return for the 2007 season, which he made his first start in Week 7 against the Oakland Raiders.
#Priest holmes pro#
Meanwhile, Johnson remained firmly as the starter as the three-time Pro Bowler had to miss the entire season. Holmes’ injury issues with his spine continued through the 2006 preseason, which led to him being placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list. That opened the door for backup Larry Johnson to step in as the starter, which he had his success in that increased role. Things changed for the worse the following year as he suffered a spinal column injury after being tackled by Shawne Merriman in October 2005. Holmes was limited to just eight games in the 2004 season but managed to tally 892 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. Priest Holmes took a progressive step down after that incredible three-year run as he struggled to move past injuries. RELATED: Who Holds the NFL’s Single-Game Record for Most Rushing Yards? Priest Holmes’ downfall due to neck injury However, things came bumping off the track following that dominant stretch that saw him establish himself as arguably the best running back in the game. In each of those seasons, he also tallied north of 60 receptions and 600 receiving yards. In the 2003 season, he notched 1,420 rushing yards while setting the single-season record with 27 rushing touchdowns. Holmes followed up his breakout year with his best statistical campaign in 2002 that saw him notch 1,615 rushing yards along with a league-best 21 rushing touchdown while setting an NFL record. That saw him take off into stardom over that stretch as he garnered three Pro Bowl selections, three First-Team All-Pro nods, led the league in rushing twice, and won NFL Offensive Player of the Year. It set the course for an impressive three-year span in his career. Holmes quickly proved to be worth every penny and more of that contract as he led the league with 1,555 rushing yards with eight rushing touchdowns that made him the first undrafted player to lead the league in rushing. Looking for a new home in the NFL to get an opportunity to showcase his ability, Priest Holmes found that with the Chiefs on a mostly inexpensive deal worth $11.7 million over five years. RELATED: What Happened to Former Ravens Star RB Jamal Lewis? Holmes looked to be pigeon-holed as the second-string option in the backfield in Baltimore, but got his time to shine with his next destination. He played an important part of the running game that helped the Ravens win Super Bowl XXXV. That included tallying a season-high 227 rushing yards against the Cincinnati Bengals.Ĭoming off a productive collegiate career with Texas, it saw Priest Holmes go undrafted in the 1997 NFL draft before being signed by the Baltimore Ravens.ĭespite, Holmes spent the next two seasons in a complementary role behind Jamal Lewis, who grasp the starting job. Holmes broke through with his first 1,000 rushing-yard campaign with seven rushing touchdowns. However, he got his opportunity the following season as two players ahead of him on the depth chart in Bam Morris and Earnest Byner departed in the offseason. Holmes stayed as the fourth-string running back throughout his rookie campaign. On November 2, 2014, he was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame.RELATED: Michael Irvin’s Hall of Fame Career Came to a Devastating End He was again replaced by a younger runningback, Larry Johnson. Injuries bothered Holmes during his later time in Kansas City. He rushed for well over 1,000 yards in his first three seasons with the team.

Holmes, wanting more playing time, signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV that year. In 2000, Baltimore picked Jamal Lewis, and Holmes became a backup. In 1998, he rushed for 1,008 yards and seven touchdowns after not playing the previous year. Holmes went undrafted into the NFL in 1997. He played college football for the Texas Longhorns.

Priest Holmes (born October 7, 1973) is a former American Football runningback. 2× NFL rushing touchdowns leader (2002, 2003).NFL Offensive Player of the Year (2002).Please help to improve this article by adding more citations to the body of the article where they should be. This article has a list of references or other websites, but its sources are not clear because it does not have inline citations.
