{{Short description|American football player (born 1960)}} {{Use American English|date=February 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Rodney Holman | number = 82 | position = Tight end | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|4|20}} | birth_place = Ypsilanti, Michigan, U.S. | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 3 | weight_lb = 238 | high_school = Ypsilanti (Ypsilanti, Michigan) | college = Tulane | draftyear = 1982 | draftround = 3 | draftpick = 82 | teams = * Cincinnati Bengals (1982–1992) * Detroit Lions (1993–1995) | highlights = * 3× Second-team All-Pro (1988–1990) * 3× Pro Bowl (1988–1990) * Second-team All-American (1981) | statlabel1 = Receptions | statvalue1 = 365 | statlabel2 = Receiving yards | statvalue2 = 4,771 | statlabel3 = Receiving touchdowns | statvalue3 = 36 | pfr = HolmRo00 }}
'''Rodney Alan Holman''' (born April 20, 1960) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for the Cincinnati Bengals (1982–1992), and the Detroit Lions (1993–1995) of the National Football League (NFL).
==Biography== Holman was born in Ypsilanti, Michigan and graduated from Ypsilanti High School in 1978 where he starred on the football team and was an all-state wrestler.<ref>{{cite book|last=Stone|first=Mike and Regner, Art|title=The Great Book of Detroit Sports Lists|date=2008|publisher=Running Press|url=https://archive.org/details/greatbookofdetro0000ston |url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/greatbookofdetro0000ston/page/203 203]|isbn=9780786741717}}</ref> Before his NFL career, Holman played college football at Tulane University.<ref>{{cite book|last=Higgins|first=Ruby D. and Ekeler, William J.|title=The Black Student's Guide to College Success|date=1994|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|page=[https://archive.org/details/blackstudentsgui00clid/page/157 157]|url=https://archive.org/details/blackstudentsgui00clid |url-access=registration|isbn=9780313294310}}</ref> Holman started all four of his seasons at Tulane, setting school records for receptions (135) and receiving yards (1,512) by a tight end. His 47 receptions in 1979 set a single season school record for catching by a tight end as well. In his four seasons on the team, The Green Wave posted a 26–20 record, and made it to consecutive Bowl games for the first time ever. Future NFL kicker Eddie Murray was also a member of the team around that time.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.allstatesugarbowl.org/site728.php| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140322044906/http://www.allstatesugarbowl.org/site728.php| archive-date = 2014-03-22| title = Rodney Holman - Hall of Fame / Allstate Sugar Bowl}}</ref>
He was selected by the Bengals in the third round of the 1982 NFL draft.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.sportsnola.com/sports/sports-blogs/rene-nadeau/596610-where-are-they-now-former-tulane-and-nfl-tight-end-rodney-holman.html|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130609065801/http://www.sportsnola.com/sports/sports-blogs/rene-nadeau/596610-where-are-they-now-former-tulane-and-nfl-tight-end-rodney-holman.html|url-status= usurped|archive-date= June 9, 2013|title= Where are they now? Former Tulane and NFL tight end Rodney Holman |publisher = Sports Nola|access-date= March 21, 2014}}</ref> A 3-time Pro Bowl selection from 1988 to 1990,<ref>{{cite web|url= https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ycn-8581657|title= Top five NFL players who played for the Tulane Green Wave: A fan's opinion|publisher = Yahoo Sports|access-date= March 21, 2014}}</ref> Holman's superb blocking and pass catching abilities were a great asset to his team, and helped lead the Bengals to an AFC Championship and appearance in Super Bowl XXIII.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://tulane.edu/news/newwave/013014_nwinsider.cfm?RenderForPrint=1|title= The Insider: Super Bowl XLVIII colder than VI?|publisher= Tulane University|access-date= March 21, 2014}}{{Dead link|date=March 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> By the time he retired in 1996, Holman had played in 213 games, the second most games played by a tight end in NFL history behind Pete Metzelaars (234). In his 14 seasons, Holman amassed 365 receptions for 4,771 yards and 36 touchdowns.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.allstatesugarbowl.org/site728.php|title= Rodney Holman|publisher= Allstate Sugar Bowl|access-date= March 21, 2014|archive-date= March 22, 2014|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140322044906/http://www.allstatesugarbowl.org/site728.php|url-status= dead}}</ref> As of 2005, Holman's 318 receptions with the Bengals are the most ever by a tight end in franchise history and ranks him as their 6th all-time leading receiver.
After his NFL career ended, Holman served as an assistant coach for the New Orleans Saints from 1998 to 1999.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://prod.static.saints.clubs.nfl.com/assets/docs/All-Time%20Roster%20Coaches.pdf|title= New Orleans Saints All-Time Coaching Roster|publisher= New Orleans Saints|access-date= March 21, 2014|archive-date= March 22, 2014|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140322052500/http://prod.static.saints.clubs.nfl.com/assets/docs/All-Time%20Roster%20Coaches.pdf|url-status= dead}}</ref>
==NFL career statistics== {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" ! colspan="2"| Legend |- | '''Bold''' | Career high |}
=== Regular season === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- !rowspan="2"| Year !rowspan="2"| Team !colspan="2"| Games !colspan="5"| Receiving |- ! GP !! GS !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD |- ! 1982 !! CIN | 9 || 0 || 3 || 18 || 6.0 || 10 || 1 |- ! 1983 !! CIN | '''16''' || 0 || 2 || 15 || 7.5 || 10 || 0 |- ! 1984 !! CIN | '''16''' || 2 || 21 || 239 || 11.4 || 27 || 1 |- ! 1985 !! CIN | '''16''' || '''16''' || 38 || 479 || 12.6 || 64 || 7 |- ! 1986 !! CIN | '''16''' || '''16''' || 40 || 570 || 14.3 || 34 || 2 |- ! 1987 !! CIN | 12 || 12 || 28 || 438 || '''15.6''' || 61 || 2 |- ! 1988 !! CIN | '''16''' || '''16''' || 39 || 527 || 13.5 || 33 || 3 |- ! 1989 !! CIN | '''16''' || 15 || '''50''' || '''736''' || 14.7 || '''73''' || '''9''' |- ! 1990 !! CIN | '''16''' || 15 || 40 || 596 || 14.9 || 53 || 5 |- ! 1991 !! CIN | '''16''' || 15 || 31 || 445 || 14.4 || 39 || 2 |- ! 1992 !! CIN | '''16''' || 13 || 26 || 266 || 10.2 || 26 || 2 |- ! 1993 !! DET | '''16''' || '''16''' || 25 || 244 || 9.8 || 28 || 2 |- ! 1994 !! DET | 15 || 7 || 17 || 163 || 9.6 || 18 || 0 |- ! 1995 !! DET | '''16''' || 3 || 5 || 35 || 7.0 || 9 || 0 |- ! colspan="2"| !! 212 !! 146 !! 365 !! 4,771 !! 13.1 !! 73 !! 36 |}
=== Playoffs === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- !rowspan="2"| Year !rowspan="2"| Team !colspan="2"| Games !colspan="5"| Receiving |- ! GP !! GS !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD |- ! 1982 !! CIN | 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 |- ! 1988 !! CIN | '''3''' || '''3''' || '''7''' || 82 || 11.7 || 24 || 0 |- ! 1990 !! CIN | 2 || 2 || 4 || '''102''' || '''25.5''' || '''46''' || 0 |- ! 1993 !! DET | 1 || 1 || 3 || 31 || 10.3 || 16 || 0 |- ! 1994 !! DET | 1 || 1 || 4 || 30 || 7.5 || 12 || 0 |- ! 1995 !! DET | 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 |- ! colspan="2"| !! 9 !! 7 !! 18 !! 245 !! 13.6 !! 46 !! 0 |}
==Honors== Holman was inducted into the Tulane Hall Of Fame in 1990,<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.tulanegreenwave.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/holman_rodney00.html|title= Rodney Holman|publisher= Tulane Green Wave|access-date= March 21, 2014|archive-date= December 30, 2010|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101230060101/http://www.tulanegreenwave.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/holman_rodney00.html|url-status= dead}}</ref> and the Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.allstatesugarbowl.org/site728.php|title= Rodney Holman|publisher= Allstate Sugar Bowl|access-date= March 21, 2014|archive-date= March 22, 2014|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140322044906/http://www.allstatesugarbowl.org/site728.php|url-status= dead}}</ref>
==Family life== Holman and his wife Sandra have two daughters, Rachael and Shayla.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.sportsnola.com/sports/sports-blogs/rene-nadeau/596610-where-are-they-now-former-tulane-and-nfl-tight-end-rodney-holman.html|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130609065801/http://www.sportsnola.com/sports/sports-blogs/rene-nadeau/596610-where-are-they-now-former-tulane-and-nfl-tight-end-rodney-holman.html|url-status= usurped|archive-date= June 9, 2013|title= Where are they now? Former Tulane and NFL tight end Rodney Holman |publisher = Sports Nola|access-date= March 21, 2014}}</ref> He is now retired and living in Slidell, Louisiana.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://prod.static.saints.clubs.nfl.com/assets/docs/All-Time%20Roster%20Coaches.pdf|title= New Orleans Saints All-Time Coaching Roster|publisher= New Orleans Saints|access-date= March 21, 2014|archive-date= March 22, 2014|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140322052500/http://prod.static.saints.clubs.nfl.com/assets/docs/All-Time%20Roster%20Coaches.pdf|url-status= dead}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==External links== * [http://www.bengals.com/team/history/receiving_alltime.asp All-time leading Bengals receivers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060110033425/http://www.bengals.com/team/history/receiving_alltime.asp |date=January 10, 2006 }} * [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/HolmRo00.htm Holman's stats at pro-football-reference.com]
{{Bengals1982DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Holman, Rodney}} Category:1960 births Category:Living people Category:Players of American football from Ypsilanti, Michigan Category:American football tight ends Category:Tulane Green Wave football players Category:Cincinnati Bengals players Category:Detroit Lions players Category:American Conference Pro Bowl players Category:New Orleans Saints coaches Category:Sportspeople from Slidell, Louisiana Category:Players of American football from St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana Category:20th-century American sportsmen