The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2024 will officially be inducted on Aug. 3.
With less than a month until the annual event in Canton, Ohio, we’re examining which players — past and present — on the league’s 32 teams we think will one day receive a similar honor.
Here are three Los Angeles Rams who should eventually receive football immortality:
Aaron Donald
There are some players that are so good, so dominant and so easily among the game’s all-time greats that you almost want to see the Hall of Fame waive the mandatory waiting period and just induct them as soon as they retire. Aaron Donald is one of those players.
Donald was not only the best defensive player of his era, he is on the short-list of greatest defensive players of all time. Not just among defensive lineman, but all defensive players regardless of position.
Donald finished his career as a Super Bowl champion, a three-time defensive player of the year, a 10-time Pro Bowl selection and an eight-time first-team All-Pro. His three defensive player of the year awards tie him with Lawrence Taylor and J.J. Watt for the most all time.
He also retired at age 32 when he still probably had a few more dominant years in him.
Torry Holt
Holt was a major part of the Rams’ “Greatest Show On Turf” teams in the late 1990s/early 2000s and alongside Isaac Bruce (who is already in the Hall of Fame) formed one of the most explosive and dynamic wide receiver duos ever.
Holt only played 11 years in the NFL and fell just a little short of the 1,000-catch plateau that usually gets wide receivers into Canton (he finished with 920 catches), but he still has a very impressive and deserving resume.
His 13,382 yards are 17th all-time while his 77.4 receiving yards per game is ninth-best all-time. He won a Super Bowl with the Rams in 1999, led the league in yards twice (2000 and 2003), led the league in receptions once (2003), was a seven-time Pro Bowler and a member of the Hall Of Fame’s all 2000s team.
The other three wide receivers on that team are Terrell Owens, Randy Moss and Marvin Harrison, all of whom are already in the Hall of Fame.
Matthew Stafford
Stafford spent most of his career playing for the Detroit Lions, but his time with the Rams has been incredibly impactful and certainly added to his potential Hall of Fame resume.
The obstacle that Stafford is going to have to overcome is that he has never been regarded as the best quarterback in the NFL, does not have any major individual awards and has never led the league in any major passing categories. That certainly hurts his case.
Helping his case is the reality that he has put together an incredibly consistent 15-year career (and counting) that has seen him accumulate some impressive counting stats and is on track to finish in the top-10 all-time in passing yards and touchdowns. Barring injury he should easily get into the top-10 early in the 2024 season.
The other big checkmark in his favor: A Super Bowl ring.
