Terrell Davis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Terrell Davis

Davis in 2005
No. 30
Position:	Running back
Personal information
Born:	(1972-10-28) October 28, 1972 (age 52) San Diego, California, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:	210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school:	Lincoln (San Diego, California)
College:	Long Beach State (1990–1991) Georgia (1992–1994)
NFL Draft:	1995 / Round: 6 / Pick: 196
Career history
Denver Broncos (1995–2002)
Career highlights and awards
2× Super Bowl champion (XXXII, XXXIII) Super Bowl MVP (XXXII) NFL Most Valuable Player (1998) 2× NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1996, 1998) 3× First-team All-Pro (1996–1998) 3× Pro Bowl (1996–1998) NFL rushing yards leader (1998) 2× NFL rushing touchdowns leader (1997, 1998) NFL 1990s All-Decade Team PFWA All-Rookie Team (1995) Denver Broncos Ring of Fame
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards: 7,607 Yards per carry: 4.6 Rushing touchdowns: 60
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Terrell Lamar Davis (born October 28, 1972) is a famous American former football player. He was a running back for the Denver Broncos in the National Football League (NFL) from 1995 to 2001. He is the Broncos' all-time best rusher. He also holds a record for the most touchdowns in a single postseason (eight) in 1997.

Terrell Davis started the "Mile High Salute," a special way Broncos players celebrate after scoring a touchdown. He joined the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017. Even though he played for only seven years, many people think he is one of the best running backs ever.

The Broncos picked Davis in the sixth round of the 1995 NFL draft. He gained 7,607 rushing yards, making him the Broncos' all-time leading rusher. In the 1997 playoffs, he set an NFL record with eight rushing touchdowns. This helped him win the Super Bowl MVP award. In 1998, he became only the fourth NFL player to rush for over 2,000 yards in one season. Fans and players called him "T. D.", which stood for his initials and for "touchdown."

Early Life and High School Football

Terrell Davis was born on October 28, 1972, in San Diego, California. His mother, Kateree Davis, was a nurse and had eight children.

In his final year at Lincoln High School, coaches gave him a chance to play fullback. He also played other positions, including kicker. He helped his team achieve a great 12-2 record. Davis also set a school record in the discus throw as part of the track team.

After high school, Davis played baseball at Long Beach State University. His brother, Reggie Webb, had played football there before him. Reggie helped Davis get a scholarship to play football at the university.

College Football Career

At Long Beach State, Davis joined the football team. The team was coached by George Allen, a former Washington Redskins coach. Davis did not play in his first year to save a year of eligibility, which is called "redshirting."

Coach Allen passed away after the 1990 season, so Davis never played an official game for him. In his first season playing, Davis rushed for 262 yards.

Long Beach State stopped its football program in 1991 due to money problems. Davis then moved to the University of Georgia. In his first year with the Georgia Bulldogs, he was a backup to Garrison Hearst, who later played in the NFL.

After Hearst graduated, Davis became the main running back in 1993. He rushed for 824 yards that season. In his senior year, he hurt his hamstring muscle early on, which made him miss three games. He still managed to run for 445 yards.

Davis's history of injuries made some NFL teams worry about drafting him. He graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Consumer Economics.

College Statistics

Professional Football Career

In 1995, Mike Shanahan became the new head coach for the Denver Broncos. He chose Terrell Davis in the sixth round of the 1995 NFL Draft. Davis started training camp as the sixth-string running back. It was not expected that he would make the team.

However, Davis impressed the Broncos coaches during his second preseason game. He made a very strong hit while playing on special teams. Davis kept getting better in each preseason game. He was then made the starting running back for the first game of the season.

With Davis as running back, the Broncos had a powerful running game that they needed. In 1995, Davis started 14 games. He carried the ball 237 times, gaining 1,117 rushing yards and scoring eight touchdowns. He became the lowest-drafted player to rush for over 1,000 yards in his rookie season.

In 1996, Davis signed a new five-year contract with the Broncos worth $6.8 million. That season, he rushed for 1,538 yards. He also set a Denver Broncos record with 13 rushing touchdowns. The Broncos finished the season with a 13–3 record, which was tied for the best in the NFL. Davis was chosen as a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl player for three years in a row.

Super Bowl Wins: 1997 and 1998

In 1997, Davis broke his own records. He rushed for 1,750 yards and led the league with 15 rushing touchdowns. The Broncos (12-4) played Jacksonville in their first playoff game again. This time, Davis had 184 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns in a big 42-17 win.

Davis rushed for over 100 yards in all four of Denver's playoff games. He joined John Riggins as the only player to do this four times in one postseason. Davis was also named Super Bowl MVP in Super Bowl XXXII against the Green Bay Packers. He had 157 rushing yards and a Super Bowl record three rushing touchdowns. He did this even though he had to sit out the second quarter because of a migraine. Before this 31-24 victory, the Broncos had lost all four of their previous Super Bowl games.

In 1998, Davis rushed for 2,008 yards. He became a member of the 2000 rushing yards club. This was the third-highest rushing total in history at that time. This amazing performance earned him the league MVP award. He also won his third straight AFC rushing title and his first NFL rushing title. He was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year for the second time. At the end of the season, the Broncos beat the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII. Davis had 102 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards in that game.

Super Bowl XXXIII was the last playoff game Davis would play in. In his 8 playoff games from 1996 to 1998, his numbers were incredible. He had 204 carries for 1,140 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also caught 19 passes for 131 yards. This included a streak of 7 games in a row with over 100 rushing yards. The Broncos won all of these games.

Davis was chosen for the Pro Bowl in the 1996, 1997, and 1998 seasons. He was nicknamed "TD" and made the "Mile High Salute" famous. This was a military-style salute he gave to fans and teammates after scoring a touchdown.

Later Career and Retirement

After the 1998 season, Davis had many injuries and played less often. In 1999, he tore the anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament in his right knee. This happened while he was trying to make a tackle during a game against the New York Jets. This injury kept him out for the rest of the year.

In the 2000 season, Davis missed all but five games because of a leg injury. In 2001, he only played in eight games. This was due to surgery on both of his knees.

Davis retired before the 2002 season began. He walked onto the field in his uniform for the last time during a preseason game. He gave a "Mile High Salute" to the fans, who gave him a standing ovation. His teammates hugged him. After the coin toss, Davis went to the sideline. He watched the second half in regular clothes. The next week, he was placed on the injured reserve list, which ended his season and his career.

In his first four seasons, Davis rushed for 6,413 yards and 56 touchdowns. Only a few other Hall of Fame running backs had more rushing yards in their first four seasons. No Hall of Famer matched Davis's 56 rushing touchdowns in their first four seasons.

Overall, Davis finished his seven NFL seasons with 7,607 rushing yards. He also had 169 catches for 1,280 yards. He scored 65 touchdowns in total (60 rushing and 5 receiving). He, John Elway, and Peyton Manning are the only three Broncos players to be named league MVP. Davis is one of only six players to rush for more than 1,000 yards in the playoffs (1,140). He is the only one to do this in a career that lasted less than 12 seasons. Davis finished his career with 12 playoff rushing touchdowns, which is tied for fourth all-time.

Awards and Honors

Davis in Denver in 2017

In 2004, Terrell Davis was added to the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame. He was also a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007, his first year of eligibility.

On July 27, 2007, it was announced that Davis would be inducted into the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame. His induction ceremony happened on September 23, 2007. This was during a Broncos home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In 2006, Davis was inducted into the Breitbard Hall of Fame.

On February 7, 2016, Davis and John Elway were honorary captains for the Broncos at Super Bowl 50. They also appeared at the ceremony honoring past Super Bowl MVPs. Davis was one of the players who presented the trophy when the Broncos won the Super Bowl. On August 4, 2017, Davis was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular Season Stats

Postseason Stats

Broncos Team Records

As of 2018, Terrell Davis holds many Denver Broncos team records, including:

• Most Rush Attempts: career (1,655), season (392 in 1998), playoff season (112 in 1997).
• Most Rush Yards: career (7,607), season (2,008 in 1998), playoffs (1,140), playoff season (581 in 1997).
• Most Rushing Touchdowns: career (60), season (21 in 1998), playoffs (12), playoff season (8 in 1997).
• Most 100+ yard rushing games: career (41), season (14 in 1997, 1998), playoffs (7).
• Most Games with 1+ Touchdown scored: season (15 in 1997, 1998), playoffs (7).
• Most Seasons with 1000+ rushing yards: career (4).

NFL Records

• Most rushing touchdowns in a single postseason: (8 in 1997).
• Only player in NFL history with 2,000+ rushing yards and 20+ rushing touchdowns in a single season.
• Only 2,000+ yard rusher to win Super Bowl in the same season.
• Highest career average yards per postseason game with 142.5 (1995–2001).
• Most rushing yards in a season including playoffs: 2,476 yards in 1998.
• Second most rushing yards in a season including playoffs: 2,331 yards in 1997.
• Consecutive 100-yard rushing games in playoffs: (7 from 1997 to 1998).

Life After Football

After playing in the NFL, Davis worked for NFL Network. He was a reporter and host for their show NFL Total Access. He also helped commentate on some NFL Europe games.

TV Appearances

Davis appeared on Sesame Street in a skit with Elmo and Telly Monster. He also guest-starred on Disney Channel's The Jersey in an episode with other sports stars. Davis was also on the season 5 finale of the sitcom Sister, Sister.

In 2008, Davis appeared on The Colbert Report to talk about a speech given by Barack Obama. In 2023, Davis made a special guest appearance on an episode of Bar Rescue. He was with current NFL players like Courtland Sutton and Justin Simmons.

Personal Life

Terrell Davis lives in Temecula, California, with his wife, Tamiko Nash. They have three children: sons Jackson and Myles, and daughter Dylan. He wrote a book about his life called TD: Dreams in Motion after his first Super Bowl win.

Davis was on the cover of the video game NFL GameDay 99. He also appeared in Madden NFL 2006, where he was a mentor to the player's character.

Images for kids

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  Davis in 2005

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  Davis in Denver in 2017

See also

In Spanish: Terrell Davis para niños