Terrell Davis (born October 28, 1972 in San Diego, California) is a former Denver Broncos running back from 1995 to 2001. Davis was drafted by the Broncos in the sixth round (196th pick overall) of the 1995 NFL Draft. Previously, Davis had played football for Lincoln Senior High School in San Diego, where Marcus Allen graduated from, Long Beach State and at the University of Georgia, where he played backup to Garrison Hearst. In Davis' first season, he rushed for 1,117 yards, becoming the lowest drafted player ever to rush for over 1,000 yards in his rookie year.
Davis was instrumental in the Broncos postseason wins during the 1997 season and their victory over the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXII. In their Wild Card playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Davis set franchise records with the most carries (31), rushing yards (184) and rushing touchdowns (2). Then, against the Kansas City Chiefs, the 1997 AFC West champions, Davis rushed for 101 yards and 2 touchdowns on 25 carries, vaulting Denver to a 14-10 victory and into the AFC Championship game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Against Pittburgh, Davis posted his third straight 100-yard game, rushing for 139 yards and scoring his 5th postseason touchdown. His efforts assisted the Broncos to victory and launched him into second place for most rushing yards in a single postseason.
In the Super Bowl, Davis rushed for 157 yards, caught 2 passes for 8 yards, and became the first player in Super Bowl history ever to score 3 rushing touchdowns. This performance earned him MVP honors. He also was named the league MVP for the 1998 season. He is also probably one of the most popular players in Broncos history outside of legendary quarterback John Elway. Davis also suffers from migraine headaches, one of which plagued him during that Super Bowl XXXII.
In 1998, Davis rushed for 2,008 yards, then the third highest rushing total in history. This performance earned him his third straight AFC rushing title, his first NFL rushing title, and his second time being named NFL Offensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press. In 1999, the Broncos beat the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII, with Davis recording 102 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards.
Super Bowl XXXIII ended up being the last postseason game Davis would play in. In his 8 postseason games from 1996 to 1998, his numbers were staggering: 204 carries for 1,140 yards and 19 touchdowns, along with 19 receptions for 131 yards. This included a streak of 7 consecutive games with over 100 rushing yards, all of which the Broncos won, breaking the previous record for consecutive 100 rushing yard postseason games held by John Riggins(6). Even in the sole playoff game in which Davis didn't gain 100 rushing yards, he still had an impressive performance, rushing for 91 yards and a touchdown and catching 7 passes for 24 yards.
Terrell Davis was nominated to the Pro Bowl in the 1996, ’97, and ’98 seasons. Nicknamed “TD,” Davis popularized the “Mile High Salute,” a military-style salute given to fans and teammates in celebration of a touchdown.
After the 1998 season, Davis was plagued with injuries and saw action infrequently. He retired during the 2002 preseason. Through his first four seasons, Davis rushed for 6,413 yards and 56 touchdowns. Among the 24 modern-era Hall of Fame halfbacks and fullbacks, only Earl Campbell (6,457) and Eric Dickerson (6,968) had more rushing yards during their first four seasons; no member of the Hall of Fame matched Davis’ first-four-season 56 rushing touchdowns. Davis was selected for ESPN's All-Time 40-Man Super Bowl roster as a running back for his performances in Super Bowls XXXII & XXXIII.
Overall, Davis finished his 7 NFL seasons with 7,607 rushing yards, 169 receptions for 1,280 yards, and 65 touchdowns (60 rushing and 5 receiving).
Today Davis is a broadcaster on the NFL Network.
Terrell also makes an appearance in Madden NFL 2006 and serves as the player's mentor in the new NFL Superstar Mode.
