Darius Holland

Darius Jerome Holland (born November 10, 1973) is a U.S. Army chaplain and former professional football player who was a defensive tackle for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). After attending Mayfield High School in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and playing college football for the Colorado Buffaloes, he was selected 65th overall by the Green Bay Packers in the third round of the 1995 NFL draft. During his time in the NFL, he played for the Packers, Chiefs, Lions, Browns, Vikings, and Broncos. He left the NFL in 2004. Ordained as a Baptist minister in 2015, he served as a pastor for over ten years and joined the Colorado Army National Guard as a military chaplain in 2017. He joined active duty in 2020, and is a reservist.

Early life Darius Jerome Holland was born on November 10, 1973, in Petersburg, Virginia. He grew up on a military base, and attended Catholic services with his mother. His father died when he was 12 years old.

Holland attended Mayfield High School in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and was an all-state player at the defensive tackle position. He attended college at the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he was a "standout" player according to the Albuquerque Journal. In his last year at Boulder, he started every game and made 77 tackles. The Associated Press named him as an honorable mention in the Big Eight Conference. He finished his college career in the 1995 Hula Bowl.

NFL career In the 1995 NFL draft, the Green Bay Packers selected him as the first pick in the third round, 65th overall. In October 1998, the Chiefs waived Holland; shortly thereafter, the Detroit Lions signed him.

Holland played for the Cleveland Browns in 1999 and 2000. After being released by the Browns following the 2000 season, Holland did not play in 2001; he was signed by the Minnesota Vikings in May 2002. He joined the Denver Broncos in 2003. In December 2004, Denver waived Holland.

Ministry While he grew up attending Catholic services with his mother, he did not pay much attention. At the end of his NFL career, Holland found himself at a low point and began practicing Christianity again. In 2017, Holland was commissioned as a chaplain in the Colorado National Guard. In 2020, he joined active duty and was assigned to Fort Bragg.