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  • February 16, 2008 01:54 AM ET

Terrell Davis deserves to be in the HOF.

E4P Is Not So Mad For Max (72-17-3) vs buckybadger (58-28-8)
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Heres two of the excuses that always come up in this discussion.

He only played seven seasons.

A)Barry Sanders walked away after ten years and he's in the Hall. Davis was forced out from injuries. Something you cant prevent like injuries shouldn't be used as a tool to deny greatness.

His rushing total isn't that great and he declined towards the end of his career.

Even with his last three injured plagued seasons, he still averaged more yards a season than such HOFers as Marcus Allen, Franco Harris, O.J. Simpson.

He's one of five players ever to rush for 2,000 yards, and the 3 elligible are all already in the Hall. (Dickerson, Sanders, Simpson) It would be a shame to keep another Bronco, especially one of this caliber, out of the HOF.


Terrell was a great running back for a couple of years but unfortunately that isn't enough to be in the Hall of Fame.

Durability, especially at the running back position, is a huge requirement for the Hall of Fame. Are we just suppose to assume that he was going to keep up the same level of play? Sorry but we see lots of athletes that are flashes in the pan, we can't assume anything. Credentials for the Hall of Fame have to proven not assumed.

We also saw several running backs follow Davis and have great seasons so we have to think that the offensive line play had a lot to do with Davis's numbers. His 2,000 yard season was a great accomplishment but it doesn't give you a free pass to the Hall of Fame. The Hall is a career accomplishment not a something for one year. I don't think Jamal Lewis will get in and isn't deserving of it either.

It is a shame that Terrell received such a devastating injury but that those are the breaks. In my belief you should be the best at your position for several years not just a few to make to the Hall of Fame. Emmit Smith and Barry Sanders (both in) were the best at that time. Terrell Davis just didn't play long enough to make it.


If you ever watched him play your just saw something that was indescribably special. The same thing you see when you watch old Emmit Smith or Thurman Thomas highlights. And this "wow" factor has nothing to do with his offesnsive line. And describing him as a flash in the pan is a complete and total insult to his legendary name.

And are you going to deny that TD wasn't the best in his time. For God's sake he was a league MVP, 2 time offensive player of the year, Superbowl MVP and he probably played the best game of his career in the game that counts the most. He's also on the 90s all decade team alongside the great names we already mentioned such as E. Smith, T. Thomas, and B. Sanders.

What began his career was a hit, and what ended it was a hit. Now that sounds like stuff legends are made out of and that's exactly what the HOF is full of.


He wasn't the best Running Back of his time. I would give that to Barry Sanders who played during the same time. Sorry but no one can say he was the BEST of that generation.

He had 3 excellent seasons and a pretty good rookie year. That is a flash in the pan if you compare him to the 9 great seasons Barry Sanders had. Outside those few good seasons he didn't do anything. You are assuming he would keep that level of play up and like I said before you can't do that. The Hall of Fame is about being great over a long period of time and TD didn't do that.

I am not trying to insult TD, I love the guy but he just doesn't have the credentials to get in. He might compare to some of the older guys but as more guys get in the bar is suppose to raise not stay the same. With some of the running backs that came after him that meet this new level Terrell will be left out. Faulk showed a new dynamic and now we have LT looking like he will set the level even higher. We can't let every guy get in who had 3 good seasons. We need to keep the Hall of Fame as just that the Hall of Fame not the Hall of Very Good.


I'm going to borrow what Schwartz said for the sake of this lone arguement. He was the man that got Elway over the hump. Terry Bradshaw couldn't do it without his HOF runningback. Ditto to Joe Montana and Jerry Rice. These players, teamed up, won championships and now are in the HOF. Just look at what he did in those two superbowls:
4.7 YAC
259 YDS
3 TDS

He carried his team on his back and for it, got MVP. And that fact that he wouldn't keep up his high level of play is just ludicris. If you actually saw him play he had the superior ability that made Jerry Rice stand out, and made MJ such a prolific scorer. No im not saying he was the best of all time at his position, he just had that exceptional ability to make you say wow. And like I said in my first arguement, he still averaged more yards a season that a solid portion of the already HOFers.

And his ability didn't decline until that severe injury. It seems cruel, almost like pushing him when his down, to leave him out of the HOF because of something he couldn't control like an injury, instead of accepting him in for his illustrious talent.


First of all Joe Montana won two championships without Jerry Rice.

I will not deny TD had some great seasons but the Hall of Fame is for players who did it over a long period of time. TD just didn't do that. Part of being a great running back is staying healthy. You are no good to anyone injured. In fact he hindered his team by taking up cap space those years trying to come back. Not saying it wasn't the right thing to do but he did hurt his team more than help them those last 3 years with his salary and low production. Its not pushing or kicking him when he was down, its just the facts. Again you are assuming he would have stayed great, and maybe he would have, but like I said earlier you have to prove your worth to get in the Hall of Fame. I do not want to give out free passes to players who we think might have been great. That just doesn't make any sense at all.

He is like Roger Maris of baseball. Had some great years but not enough to be enshrined into the Hall of Fame. I need more than 3 great years to put someone in the Hall of Fame. By your logic Stearling Sharpe, among many others, should get in too. Sorry but you have to prove your durability and greatness

Comments (63) Add A Comment

February 16, 2008  01:56 AM ET
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Look he lives in colorado. This ought to be interesting. lol

February 16, 2008  02:06 AM ET
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I know Bucky hasn't written anything yet, but I have always thought TD should be in the HOF. He was a great, great running back. It was fun to watch him for the injury - cut - short career he had. He was a good guy too. Came off as a humble and polite man. I usually don't vote on Throwdowns, but I have argued this before with my friends. TD should be in the HOF. I don't know if he gets in, but he should.

February 16, 2008  02:07 AM ET
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I am a Bronco fan. Packers first but I have been a Bronco fan just as long.

My question I give fans here in Denver is why do they push for Davis so hard but not Steve Atwater? I think Atwater is totally deserving of the Hall. He was a great safety for many years. I think Atwater would get more of a look if there was a more of a push for him locally.

February 16, 2008  02:12 AM ET
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Steve Atwater should be in there too with Kenny Easley.

February 16, 2008  02:19 AM ET
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atwater will get there. i just heard somebody mention td shouldnt be there. so i began this.

February 16, 2008  02:19 AM ET
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gradshir and sharpe also are very deserving.

February 16, 2008  02:43 AM ET
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Oops my bad. Barry had 10 great seasons with 10 pro bowls.

February 16, 2008  04:33 AM ET
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If Davis "deserves" to be in for the reasons Elway gives then so do Walker and Bo Jackson. Sorry, no go. You don't get into the HOF based on a great season, or showing how great you are before getting hurt. Davis doesn't have the numbers to get in, period.

February 16, 2008  08:54 AM ET
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I agree with CCC...Davis was a great running back, enough to move out of the classic Broncos "system RB" label, but a Hall of Fame player? A guy's gotta have more than four seasons of being in the top three of his position to earn that. If not, he's gotta have some serious career consistency numbers.

If he was able to duplicate his production from 1995 through 1998 for another three seasons, I'd say he should be there. A highly respected player, but the lack of career longevity - regardless if it was due to injuries - is too much to discount.

February 16, 2008  08:55 AM ET
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E4P, I did this TD in January and won, you can do the same.

February 16, 2008  09:10 AM ET
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Both make very good arguments, though. Elway's best point: "He's also on the 90s all decade team..." Comparison to his immediate non-specific peers is very important. However, negative points on "Barry Sanders walked away after ten years and he's in the Hall." Avoiding any and all comparisons specifically to Sanders is probably the best bet here. Even mentioning Sanders' name in comparison to Davis is supporting why Sanders is in the Hall. It doesn't answer anything about Davis being in the Hall.

Props to Elway on making a good argument and fighting hard through a very tough topic to win, but he's going to have to get past Bucky's great line: "Credentials for the Hall of Fame have to proven not assumed."

February 16, 2008  09:58 AM ET
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I think Bo Jackson should be in the hall before Terrell Davis

February 16, 2008  10:15 AM ET
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Without TD Elway would have gone out like Marino, thanks to TD Elway is in another class. The guy carried a team to back to back titles, show me another RB that has done that and isn't in the hall. Please I want to see a RB that CARRIED A TEAM ON HIS BACK to NOT ONE but TWO Titles and isn't HOF material.

February 16, 2008  10:21 AM ET
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^ what CCC said.

Davis was great, and the injuries were an unfortunate stop to a great career. But look at the guys who succeeded him. It was a great line and system that he had working in his favor. Not to take anything away from him, but it does make a difference. In the end, I just think he performed at a top caliber level for too short a time.

February 16, 2008  10:24 AM ET
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If you look at his numbers, he had 1 good year, 3 stellar years, and 3 years marred by injury. He should get in on the strength of 3 seasons?

February 16, 2008  11:25 AM ET
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Find me a Hall of Fame member who, in a seven-year career in the modern era, produced in four seasons, and did nothing at all in three others, Schwartzy.

There are only four Hall of Fame running/fullbacks who rushed for less than 10,000 yards from the modern era (the Super Bowl era). Larry Cszonka, Leroy Kelly, Earl Campbell and Jim Taylor. Davis had less yards than all of them, and the least amount of yards of any runner who played from 1986 through today.

The way to find value is through comparison. Davis has no real comparison because he didn't play long enough. I don't think winning two Super Bowls (with a Hall of Fame QB, T and S) is enough to make him an exception to comparison. He didn't do anything that hasn't been done, and he didn't last all that long. That is too much to overcome if he's not clearly better than any other similar example.

February 16, 2008  12:11 PM ET
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TD is one of the greatest RB's ever with all injuries considered. Vote left.

February 16, 2008  02:10 PM ET
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TD is in the discussion of best during his time

February 16, 2008  02:10 PM ET
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<------------------------------------------------------------

 
February 16, 2008  02:12 PM ET
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Different sport

But Sandy Koufax was 165-87 with a 2.87 ERA

But had only 6 excellent years

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