The driving force behind the Denver Bronco’s late-90’s success, Terrell Davis was instrumental in finally delivering Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway off into retirement with a pair of Super Bowl victories.
A Hall of Famer in his own right, Davis was the MVP of Super Bowl XXXII, rushing for a game-high 157 yards and three touchdowns, all while battling debilitating migraine headaches, a testament to his dominance and toughness.
Davis rushed for a career-high 2,008 yards and 21 touchdowns en route to winning MVP that season, capping a run of four consecutive seasons that he rushed for more than 1,100 yards.
However, that was the peak of Davis’ career as a series of debilitating injuries took their stranglehold.
In 1999, Davis tore his ACL and MCL in his right knee in Week 4 while trying to make a tackle against the Jets. The following season, after working his way back from his knee injury, Davis was only able to play in five games due to a leg injury and ultimately required surgery in both knees.
A part-time player for the rest of his career, Davis retired in 2002, but not before setting 46 Broncos franchise records.
Davis was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017 despite only playing seven seasons but it is fair to wonder just how much higher he might have ranked on the all-time rushing list had he been able to stay healthy.
- Career stats: 1,655 carries for 7,607 yards and 60 touchdowns, 169 catches for 1,280 yards and five touchdowns
- Pro Football Hall of Famer
- 1998 NFL MVP
- Super Bowl XXXII MVP
- Three-Time First-Team All-Pro
- Two-time NFL Offensive Player of The Year
- 1996 AFC Player of The Year
- 1998 NFL Rushing champion
- Three-time Pro Bowler