HOUSTON - Terrell Davis: Broncos' all-time leading rusher, Broncos Ring of Famer and now finally, Pro Football Hall of Famer.
In his third year as a finalist, Davis was selected to the Hall’s Class of 2017 on Saturday, joining fellow former running back LaDainian Tomlinson, quarterback Kurt Warner, defensive end Jason Taylor and kicker Morten Andersen, plus senior inductee Kenny Easley and contributor Jerry Jones as the newest members.
Davis is the fifth Bronco to be elected, following former quarterback turned general manager John Elway (inducted in 2004), tackle Gary Zimmerman (2008), running back Floyd Little (2010) and tight end Shannon Sharpe (2011).
Since Davis first became eligible for the Hall of Fame, in 2007, he was stuck on the waiting list, making it to the semifinal round eight years before the Hall teased him more by voting him to the final round the past three years.
“I can smell it, but I can't taste them,” he’s said in the past, likening the process to being shut outside a doughnut shop.
Close, but not close enough.
His first time as a finalist, in 2015 in Phoenix, Davis awaited the no-knock alone, without family or friends by his side as he awaited the outcome of selection Saturday.
"I knew it wasn’t going to happen that fast," he said. "I knew I wasn’t going to go from a semifinalist and then a finalist and, same year, they let you take the next step."
The second time around as a finalist, in San Francisco, he was joined by his father-in-law, his brother and friends, all believing the 10th try might gain him entry.
"After that year you start to hear and feel a little more excitement about it," Davis said. "More people talking about it, asking me questions about it."
This year, his wife and children joined him to share the euphoria and the moment he could only dream about before. After the nearly nine-hour debate in downtown Houston by the Hall’s 48-person selection committee, Davis finally got the knock on the hotel door he’s long awaited.
"No question, T.D.belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame," said former Broncos receiver and Davis' teammate, Ed McCaffrey. "It would have been tough to win back-to-back Super Bowls without T.D. He was a game-changer. I'm so happy for his election to the Hall. He belongs among the greats."
Davis retired a Bronco lifer in 2002 having checked all the Hall of Fame boxes but one.
He sits atop the Broncos' record book with 7,607 rushing yards and 60 rushing touchdowns, among many other franchise marks.
He has Super Bowl rings - two of them.
He has three Pro Bowl and three all-pro selections.
He has an NFL MVP award, won in 1998 after rushing for 2,008 yards, and he has a Super Bowl MVP award, won by rushing for 157 yards and three touchdowns (while fighting a migraine) in the Broncos' Super Bowl XXXII victory over Green Bay.
And he had seven consecutive playoff games with at least 100 rushing yards, when he played in only eight. That lone double-digit playoff game produced 91 yards.
On the biggest stages, he put on his finest performances. But on every stage, he played as if it were his last time in the spotlight.
“Preseason, regular season, postseason - in my mind, I want to be the best when I play in all those games, whereas you hear people say, ‘It’s a big game, we have to study harder, we have to go the extra mile’” he said. “Well, what were you doing when you were playing those other games?
But the biggest barrier to Davis’ entry into the Hall had been the length of his career. Davis played only seven seasons (1995-2002) and 78 games, his tenure cut short by injuries. Although there is no set criteria for a hall of famer - no list that includes a mandated 10-year career - longevity has long been a hallmark of inductees. Only one player since the merger of the American Football League and the NFL - former running back Gale Sayers (68 games) - has been inducted with as few as seven seasons.
"I can’t control the length of my career," he said. "I can go to sleep at night and I can sleep great knowing that even though it was a short career, I gave it my all. I don’t ever look back and feel like, ‘If I had done more during that time that this would be a possibility,’ because there’s nothing else I could have done."
After 11 years, the Hall of Fame’s selectors believed the same.
Terrell Davis is bound for Canton, the final score in his prolific career.
Player, Pos. Career, Teams
Terrell Davis, RB - 1995-2002 Broncos
LaDainian Tomlinson, RB - 2001-09 San Diego Chargers, 2010-11 New York Jets.
Kurt Warner, QB - 1998-2003 St. Louis Rams, 2004 New York Giants, 2005-09 Arizona Cardinals.
Jason Taylor, DE - 1997-2007, 2009, 2011 Miami Dolphins, 2008 Washington Redskins, 2010 New York Jets.
Morten Andersen, K - 1982-94 New Orleans Saints, 1995-2000, 2006-07 Atlanta Falcons, 2001 New York Giants, 2002-03 Kansas City Chiefs, 2004 Minnesota Vikings.
Kenny Easley, S – 1981-87 Seattle Seahawks (senior inductee)
Jerry Jones, Owner/president/GM – 1989-present Dallas Cowboys (contributor)
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