The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2022 was announced Thursday night at the NFL Honors ceremony, with former St. Louis Rams head coach Dick Vermeil among those to be nominated.
The class also includes tackle Tony Boselli, wide receiver Cliff Branch, safety LeRoy Butler, official Art McNally, linebacker Sam Mills, defensive end/defensive tackle Richard Seymour, and defensive tackle/defensive end Bryant Young.
Vermeil served as head coach of the Rams for three seasons (1997-99) and most notably led the “Greatest Show on Turf” to a 23-16 win over the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV. He joins Marshall Faulk (2011), Orlando Pace (2016), Kurt Warner (2017) and Isaac Bruce (2020) as members of the team to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Vermeil went 120-109 in 15 seasons as an NFL head coach, including stints with the Philadelphia Eagles (1976-82) and Kansas City Chiefs (2001-05). He won 10 or more games in a season six times and is one of only seven coaches to lead two franchises to a Super Bowl, also helping the Eagles get there in 1980.
Among those to fall short of induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year is former Rams wide receiver Torry Holt. The seven-time Pro Bowler was selected by the organization with the No. 6 overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft and immediately made an impact, catching 52 passes for 788 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie.
Holt played 10 of his 11 NFL seasons with the Rams, recording 869 receptions, 12,660 yards and 74 touchdowns in 158 games. He finished his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2009, hauling in 51 passes for 722 yards and no touchdowns (15 games).
This marks the third time Holt has been snubbed from the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but the expectation is that he will eventually get in. Finalists must receive at least 80% of the votes to earn enshrinement.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2022 will be formally honored on Saturday, Aug. 6 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.
