Congratulations to Brian Santiago on his selection as the next Brigham Young University athletic director.
Following Tom Holmoe is not an enviable task. But Brian is a great fit because he has worked at Tom’s side for years and also brings his own unique skills, competitiveness and character.
I met Tom during my college years. He and I entered BYU as freshmen in the fall of 1978. We didn’t have much interaction at that time. But I enjoyed cheering for him and his teammates on the football field.
I was friends with his future wife, Lori, because she was part of the cheerleading squad that supported my teammates and me on the basketball court.
Later, Tom and Lori married and I remember spending some time with them before a game between my Indiana Pacers and the Golden State Warriors in Oakland in 1985. It meant a lot to me that they were there to offer support.
They were in the area because Tom was a defensive back for the San Francisco 49ers. He was part of the 49ers’ Super Bowl victory in 1984. I was touched by their thoughtfulness. I was a struggling rookie and Tom was a Super Bowl champion. This was an early glimpse into the class and goodness of Tom and Lori Holmoe.
As the years passed, Tom went on to win three more Super Bowl rings for a total of four. Three of his rings were earned as a player (1984, 1988, and 1989) under head coach Bill Walsh and one as a defensive coach on George Seifert’s 49ers staff (1994).
In 2001, Tom and Lori moved to Provo. They purchased a house close to where my wife and I and our children were living and we reconnected.
Tom’s toughness: playing football on an asphalt surface
I enjoyed spending time with Tom. He lives his life in fast motion. When he would slow down a bit, I loved to hear him tell sports stories.
My favorite one from his childhood was about playing football at his neighborhood elementary school in La Crescenta, California.
They played flag football against other schools on the asphalt playground in jeans and T-shirts with helmets! Asphalt is not very forgiving when someone is “accidentally” tackled. That may be where Tom developed his toughness on the field of play.
Another favorite story I heard Tom tell was about his San Francisco 49er teammate, Ronnie Lott.
If my memory serves me, Tom said Ronnie Lott shattered the bone in his pinky finger and the doctors advised him to have a surgery that would keep him out for the remainder of the season.
Ronnie decided to have the tip of the finger amputated which would allow him to come back and play that season. He didn’t want to let his teammates down. I could sense Tom’s admiration and respect for his determined teammate, a future Hall of Famer.
Tom was no stranger to pain himself during his time in the National Football League. Unbelievably, he played for seven years with no anterior cruciate ligament in his knee. He had to arrive early at every practice and game to be taped from his ankle to his hip to give support to his fragile knee. I have never heard of an athlete playing without a knee ligament in the NFL, and Tom did it for seven seasons.
On top of that, Tom’s playing weight was 183 pounds in a world of behemoths. No one I’ve ever met is as tough, pound for pound, as Tom Holmoe.
I should add that while Tom is indeed a “tough as nails” athlete and a four-time Super Bowl champion, I don’t think I’ve ever met a more kind, considerate and humble man.
Tom’s leadership: BYU athletic director
In 2005, Tom became the BYU athletic director. His list of accomplishments as the athletic director is long and impressive. In the interest of time, I’ll mention only one. Tom was named the 2020-21 NACDA athletic director of the year. He was honored as the best of the best during the challenges created by an athlete’s worst nightmare — the COVID-19 pandemic.
Aleisha Rose, one of the best soccer players ever to compete for BYU, tells this story about her athletic director, Tom Holmoe.
“I have learned that there is a difference between going through the motions just to get the job done and completely throwing yourself out there and doing everything that you can to make a difference.
“A few years ago, the soccer team had the opportunity to go to the NCAA tournament. We had to leave BYU around 5 a.m. to get to the airport. As we were about to get on the freeway in Orem we heard Jen (Rockwood), the head coach, shout, ‘Look out the window!’ What in the world? We saw a figure all bundled up in a big coat, hat and gloves, holding a pole waving a huge “Y” flag back and forth in the air along the sidewalk.
“What do you know? It was Tom.
“I remember thinking, ‘Wow, that is pretty special that BYU’s athletic director cares about the women’s soccer team so much that he would wake up early in the morning and stand out in the freezing cold while waiting for us to drive by and see us for a few seconds.’”
This story from Aleisha captures the man I know. Tom always goes above and beyond by doing the little things, most of the time outside the public eye, to help and serve others.
During his tenure as the BYU athletic director, Tom and I served in the same bishopric in the Grandview 21st Ward. He couldn’t have been more diligent in his calling. Often he would arrive home very late on a Saturday night from an out of town athletic director commitment. Even though he had a built-in excuse to get some rest, he was always there for our early Sunday morning meeting. I would try to give him a pass occasionally, but he would never take it.
I also remember how he and Lori were excited to do family history work. With everything else going on in their lives, they wanted to serve their ancestors. With the help of the ward family history consultant (my wife, Julie), Tom and Lori were able to bless and serve many of their ancestors who needed temple work done.
One of Tom’s unique character traits was that he seems incapable of taking time to relax. His motor always runs at a high velocity. He keeps a list of things that need to be done with a handwritten checkbox by each item. I think it bothers him to have things undone on his list. Often when I draw a checkbox next to items on my to-do list, I think of Tom.
As busy as Tom’s life has been, he and Lori raised a beautiful family. I witnessed firsthand the love Lori and Tom have for their children, Shannon, Danny, Erik, and Lauren. They are adults now with beautiful families of their own.
Tom’s companion: Lori
I remember a few years ago, running into Tom and Lori at a restaurant in Orem. Julie and I were happy to see them. I excitedly asked if we could join them for dinner. I saw Lori‘s eyes look down. I got the graceful hint that my idea was poorly timed. I quickly changed the subject and we gave them some needed space. I felt Lori’s warm appreciation.
This experience made me think how much private time Lori has given up with her husband to accommodate Cougar fans who want to visit with Tom. The same could be said of the family time missed by the Holmoe children. I wondered how many Holmoe family meals have been interrupted by well-meaning people wanting to get a few minutes with a four-time Super Bowl champion and successful athletic director.
Lori, if I may, Cougar Nation and I salute you and your family for the many and varied sacrifices you’ve made over the years to elevate BYU athletics. You were a standout in your own right in college. You then stepped out of the limelight to selflessly focus on raising a beautiful family while Tom pursued his professional goals as an NFL player, a college and professional coach, and as the BYU athletic director over the past 20 years.
Thank you, Holmoe family
My life has been so much richer because of my association with the Holmoe family. I haven’t talked to Tom and Lori about how they will spend their time in the coming years, but I’m confident they won’t spend much time relaxing. They will soon find a new way to contribute to a good cause and continue blessing the lives of others as they have done so well to this point in their lives.
Tom, you have chosen to go out on top. The BYU athletic department has never been in better shape with a stellar group of world class coaches and a magnificent collection of highly gifted athletes.
Thank you, Tom and Lori! We are forever in your debt. God speed to both of you.