Is Terrell Davis a Hall of Famer?

Of all the names on the early list of candidates for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the one likely to face the liveliest debate is former Broncos running back Terrell Davis. The argument basically breaks down to this: Do you put a guy in the Hall of Fame for four very good seasons?
For Paul Zimmerman of Sports Illustrated, who has a Hall of Fame vote, the answer is yes. He writes today:

I'm sure he'll make it to the final 15, which will get him into the selection meeting at the Super Bowl, and the debate will rage long and hard. Shortness of career will be the main negative, although others are in there who have done far less. ...
In the last two years of the glory part of Davis' career, the Broncos rode his shirttails to a pair of Super Bowl titles, the only ones in their history. You could rightly say he and John Elway are the two most important people in the history of the franchise. I think that's enough of an endorsement. Quality over quantity will be my argument when this whole thing comes up in January.

I disagree. When Davis first got hurt in 1998, I remember thinking that he had done enough -- right then and there -- to get into the Hall of Fame. But I'm less convinced now. Looking back on those Broncos teams of the late 1990s, the real greatness I see is in the offensive line, not the running back. I would gladly vote for at least one of those linemen, Tom Nalen, for the Hall of Fame, But I'm not convinced that Davis belongs, not when the Broncos' running game continued to thrive after he was gone.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

11-08-2007 @ 2:32PM

Kurt said...

If you're going to make the offensive line argument, then don't include Emmitt Smith in the HOF either. He only got where he did because he played behind one of the greatest o-lines in history...blah, blah, blah. I'm not buying it. I believe that if you reversed the roles and put the early career-ending injury on Smith, someone else would have stepped into the Cowboys RB slot behind that behemoth o-line and given you just as much reason to deny Smith. Is Smith a Hall of Famer? If so, then why not T.D.? Anyone who watched Terrell Davis run knows he's a HOFer. If it was so easy to run in Denver's offense, how come no one did it before him? That offense's run attack evolved and became known because of Terrell Davis. He's a trendsetter and those that followed learned by copying him. He should be justly awarded. He was influential on those running backs that followed him, he was a great champion, and he's the sole reason for Elway's two rings (besides Elway himself). T.D. is definitely a Hall of Famer. Better yet, why don't you just ask Elway and put the debate to rest???

11-08-2007 @ 2:34PM

tien said...

If Gale Sayers can make it into the HOF with what amounts to essentially 4 "really good" seasons sans a Super Bowl title, I see no reason why TD can't.

11-08-2007 @ 2:56PM

nickstoli said...

If Dan Hampton, James Lofton, Troy Aikman, Jim Kelly, Warren Moon, and Steve Young are Hall of Famers, than Terrell Davis is, too.

11-08-2007 @ 4:54PM

KidA said...

If TD gets all this hub bub, how come Sterling Sharpe never got any?

He held every single receiving record for the first 6 years of a career when he was injured.

No, TD is not a HoFer.

11-08-2007 @ 6:16PM

LB said...

Elway never got a superbowl win before he came and Denver has never been close since he left. Put him in the Hall. It is about winning right?

11-08-2007 @ 7:01PM

bachslunch said...

Comparing Terrell Davis to Gale Sayers is a bit misleading, as Sayers was also a world-class kick returner and Davis appears not to have returned kicks at all. In fact, except for Sayers and Dwight Stephenson, players like Davis with flashy but short careers have not done well in HoF voting: see Sterling Sharpe and Dick Stanfel, for two examples. And expect the same problems for Tony Boselli.

11-08-2007 @ 7:50PM

Barabbas said...

T.D., Was a great back, and I ejoyed his game. And he along with the O line delivered Elway his titles. But longevity has to count for something. If I put T.D. in the HOF, then down the road I've got to put KWarner in, and I don't think he is deserving either

11-09-2007 @ 2:38AM

Kyle said...

Every player who has ever been both an NFL MVP and a Super Bowl MVP (and currently eligible) is enshrined. Except T.D.

He was voted as the best in the biggest game. He was voted as the most valuable of all players for an entire season. His playoff running total is more than anyone. He is a Hall of Famer, plain and simple.

11-09-2007 @ 3:09AM

Buck said...

Td should go in the hall because he's done more than some of the other backs that are all ready there

11-10-2007 @ 10:26PM

joe wallace said...

I, for one, think there should be an asterisk next to those Super Bowls...Don't you, MDS? After all, YOU said that the pats are forever tainted because of spygate. Well, the Broncos got caught cheating the salary cap, lost a first round draft pick because of that, but won TWO super bowls after that. I am calling you out. Condemn them, also, or shut up about the pats. BTW, if you don't, that pretty much calls you out, anyway.