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Pro Football Hall of Fame: Terrell Davis profile

By Russell S. Baxter

Mandatory Credit: Getty Images
Mandatory Credit: Getty Images /
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We are here to salute the career of Denver Broncos’ running back Terrell Davis. Which Pro Football Hall of Famer does he remind us of?

It’s not an easy “club” to get admission to. No one knows that better than Terrell Davis (and a few others as well). On Saturday night in Canton, Ohio, he will join five other men to raise the membership of the Pro Football Hall of Fame to 310 people.

Here we have looked at the Class of 2017 and tried to find a player or contributor (such as Jerry Jones) already in the Hall who reminds us of the new inductee. In some cases it hasn’t been easy. Of course, Morten Andersen was a no-brainer.

But how about Davis. Is there another Hall of Fame running back he reminds you of? Hmmm…

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Terrell Davis/Eric Dickerson

Just a reminder. We are not necessarily making statistical comparisons here. But it’s fascinating to see the numbers for both Denver Broncos’ star Terrell Davis and fellow Pro Football Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson after each standout’s first four years in the league.

The latter ran 6,968 yards and 55 scores. Davis, a sixth-round draft choice from the University of Georgia (after beginning his collegiate career at Long Beach State) totaled 6,413 yards on the ground and 56 touchdowns. Dickerson played in 62 regular-season games, Davis with 61.

Los Angeles Rams running back Eric Dickerson (29), member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, carries the ball during a 27-16 victory over the Houston Oilers on December 9, 1984, at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California. On this day, Dickerson broke O.J. Simpson’s single-season rushing record. (Photo by Rob Brown/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Rams running back Eric Dickerson (29), member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, carries the ball during a 27-16 victory over the Houston Oilers on December 9, 1984, at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California. On this day, Dickerson broke O.J. Simpson’s single-season rushing record. (Photo by Rob Brown/Getty Images) /

But it’s that upright running approach that draws similarities between the two running backs. Watching both men glide past and run away from opposing defenses. Dickerson would finish his career with 13,259 rushing yards – seventh in NFL annals – and would move onto different teams. Davis saw the last three years of his career marred by injuries.

But it was the Broncos’ seven-year pro who would make an enormous impact for his franchise in the postseason. Denver would win back-to-back Super Bowl titles in 1997 and ’98. Davis was the MVP of the team’s thrilling 31-24 Super Bowl XXXII win over the Green Bay Packers, running for 157 yards and three scores on 30 carries. One year later, he was the NFL’s Most Valuable Player, a campaign which saw him rush for 2,008 yards and 21 scores. The Broncos would go onto repeat as Super Bowl champions.

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It’s also worth pointing out that Terrell Davis rushed for an impressive 1,140 and 12 scores in eight career postseason games with the Denver Broncos. Many like to compare him with Hall of Famer Gale Sayers because of their relatively-short NFL career. However, when it comes to big-play ability and overall running prowess, we feel T.D. resembles E.D. much more closely.

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