Even in his mid-40s and long after his NFL retirement, Ron Holmes still found ways to intimidate football players on the opposing line.
One year, while serving as an assistant football coach at Northwest Christian, the former Timberline High School two-sport star lined up his 6-foot-4 frame at nose tackle during a spring scrimmage against Rainier. The intimidation factor quickly set in.
“That was a lot of fun,” recalled Pete Fulton, Northwest Christian High School’s head football coach from 2006-10, who also coached Holmes at Timberline. “He loved the kids so much, and loved coaching football.”
Holmes, one of the greatest athletes to come out of Thurston County, died in his sleep early Thursday morning at his DuPont home. He was 48.
Holmes moved to Lacey with his family in 1979 and starred in football and basketball for the Blazers, graduating in 1981. He was a starting forward on the Blazers’ 1980 AA state title basketball team and an all-Black Hills League defensive lineman.
Holmes was a three-year starter and two-time football All-American (1983-84) at the University of Washington. After being selected in the first round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1985 NFL Draft, Holmes had an eight-year NFL career with Tampa Bay and Denver. Injuries ended his career in 1992. He was a starting defensive tackle in Super Bowl XXIV with the Broncos.
Holmes had been a national sales account manager for Morgan Transfer, a moving and storage company in Lacey, since 2002. Owners Reni and Mike Michael had been good friends with Holmes dating to high school.
“My husband told me several times, you can only count your true friends on one hand, and Ron is one of them,” Reni Michael said.
Holmes served as an assistant football coach for part of Fulton’s tenure at Northwest Christian, mainly working with linemen.
“It’s a Christian school and Ron Holmes was a walking example of a Christ-led life,” Fulton said.
University of Washington coach Steve Sarkisian said the team will pay tribute to Holmes.
“It’s unfortunate, for how young he was, 48 years old, and what Ron Holmes really meant to this program and being an All-American, eighth pick in the draft. And really the legacy he brought to the defensive line, and obviously carried forward by (fellow defensive lineman Steve) Emtman.”
Holmes is survived by two children.
Meg Wochnick: 360-754-5473
mwochnick@theolympian.com
www.theolympian.com/southsoundsports
Twitter: @MegWochnick
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