There are so many players deserving of induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame that haven't gotten that call. Green Bay Packers end Lavvie Dilweg should have been inducted decades ago. He last played in 1934. Mac Speedie, Alex Karras, Jerry Kramer, Otis Taylor, and Mick Tingelhoff should be in Canton. There are so many waiting for so long that it's difficult to debate the merits of a player that last played in 2001. After his first four years in the league, Denver Broncos running back Terrell Davis was likely considered an automatic, first-ballot Hall of Famer. He had perhaps the greatest start to a career that any back has ever had. 1,750 yards in year three. 2,008 yards in year four. 56 rushing touchdowns in his first four seasons. 3x All-Pro. 2x NFL Offensive Player of the Year. League and Super Bowl MVP in 1998. He made it possible for John Elway to win two Super Bowls at the end of his tremendous career. He was arguably the best back in the league when Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders were still playing. Davis' career pretty much ended in 1999 when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament in his right knee while trying to make a tackle on an interception return. He only played 17 more games over the next three years. He seemed to be on the mend in 2001. He gained 701 yards in eight games but injuries brought him down again. He tried again in 2002 but he was sadly done.
Terrell Davis' injury-shortened career brings to mind the similarly abbreviated career of Gale Sayers. Both played seven seasons. Both had injury-plagued seasons to end their career. There was never any doubt that Sayers would be honored in Canton. He made it in his second year of eligibility. The clock is still running on Davis' eligibility. He's in his eighth year now. He feels that if he ever makes it to Canton it will be through the senior nomination process. Some time needs to pass before he's eligible for that process. I was a little surprised by this as I see Davis as a player that could make it any year. He was that great. Even if it was for such a short period of time. It's been said that a Hall of Famer must be considered among the best to play his position during his time in the league. Terrell Davis most certainly was that. From 1995-98, there was no better running back. It's also been said that for a Hall of Famer to be a Hall of Famer, you can't tell the history of the NFL without mentioning the player. You can't talk about the 1997 and 1998 NFL seasons without mentioning Terrell Davis. He led his Broncos team to the Super Bowl title at the end of each of those seasons. Those Super Bowls might have been all about Elway finally winning it all but the Broncos were NFL Champions because of Davis. Unfortunately, Hall of Fame voters are too hung up on numbers right now. 7,607 yards probably doesn't seem like much of career to them. As with Sayers, you have to look at how he gained those yards.
Terrell Davis is a Hall of Fame dilemma. Typically, I think that a Hall of Fame career is one that is more than four years of greatness. It's an opinion that pretty much kills the chances of some of my Minnesota Vikings favorites like Chuck Foreman, Ahmad Rashad, and Joey Browner. When I recall the way that Terrell Davis ran the football for those four incredible seasons, I recall a Hall of Fame running back.
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