Former Dawg Terrell Davis in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
By Matt Green
On Saturday it was announced that former Georgia Bulldog running back Terrell Davis was voted into the pro football Hall-of-Fame.
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Joining Davis in the 2017 class is quarterback Kurt Warner, running back LaDainian Tomlinson, defensive end Jason Taylor, kicker Morten Anderson, safety Kenny Easley, and owner Jerry Jones.
Davis will become the third Bulldog to be enshrined in Canton, Ohio, joining Fran Tarkenton and Charley Trippi.
Davis doesn’t have the longevity on his resume that some hall of famers have, but his great years were among some of the greatest ever.
Davis played just seven seasons in the NFL, with the final three being plagued by injuries. His 7,607 rushing yards rank 55th all-time and his 60 rushing touchdowns are tied for 48th all-time.
But from 1996-98 Davis was one of the best in NFL history. The San Diego-native rushed for 5,296 yards and 49 touchdowns during that three-year span, an average of 1,765 yards and 16.3 touchdowns per season.
Offensive Player of the Year
In 1996 and ’98, Davis was named as the NFL’s offensive player of the year, joining Fran Tarkenton as the only other UGA-alum to receive the honor. In ’96, he ran for 1,538 yards and 13 touchdowns, and in ’97 and ’98 he was even better.
MVP
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In 1998, Davis helped lead the Broncos to a 14-2 record and was named as the NFL’s Most Valuable Player, becoming the first former-Bulldog to do so. He ran for 2,008 yards and 21 touchdowns, while also leading the league with 5.1 yards per carry.
Davis was the fourth player to ever eclipse the 2,000-yard mark in a single season, joining O.J. Simpson, Eric Dickerson and Barry Sanders. Since then, Jamal Lewis, Chris Johnson, and Adrian Peterson have joined the 2,000-yard club.
Super Bowl
What truly cemented Davis’ legacy in Canton were his performances on the league’s biggest stage.
In Super Bowl XXXII, the Denver Broncos upset of the Green Bay Packers 31-24. Davis earned MVP honors, rushing 30 times for 157 yards and a super bowl-record three touchdowns. He also scored the game-winning score with 1:47 remaining in the game.
In Super Bowl XXXIII, Davis didn’t have nearly the same output that he did against the Packers, but the Broncos handled the Falcons 34-19 to give them back-to-back Super Bowl victories. This time John Elway was named Super Bowl MVP, but Davis still managed to rush for 102 yards on 25 carries while also catching two passes for 50 yards through the air.
So with two Super Bowl titles, one Super Bowl MVP, one NFL MVP, three Pro Bowls, and two Offensive player of the Year awards, Davis is deserving of his spot in the hall, and truly is one Damn Good Dawg.