2006: Terrell Davis, Breitbard Hall-of-Fame inductee

02-12-2006

By Tom Shanahan, San Diego Hall of Champions

Much of the Super Bowl XL focus of football fans was the return of Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis to his hometown of Detroit for the game played on Feb. 5 against the Seattle Seahawks.

But in San Diego, a Super Bowl homecoming is an old story. It’s been done before when San Diego’s Terrell Davis returned home as a star running back with the Denver Broncos for Super Bowl XXXII against the Green Bay Packers on Jan. 25, 1998 at Qualcomm Stadium.

The Lincoln High alumnus returned home in style, too, leading the Broncos to a 31-24 upset victory and taking home the Super Bowl MVP Trophy.

Davis now works for the NFL Network’s Los Angeles-based studies, but he makes a symbolic return home for his induction into the Breitbard Hall of Fame with the Class of 2006.

Davis is one of only nine NFL players to earn both an NFL and Super Bowl MVP trophy. He shares that distinction with another Lincoln alumnus he joins in the Breitbard Hall of Fame, Marcus Allen.

He is part of a long list of running backs from San Diego high schools that includes Davis and Allen as NFL and Super Bowl MVPs and four Heisman Trophy winners that includes Allen (USC), Rashaan Salaam (Colorado and La Jolla Country Day), Ricky Williams (Texas and Patrick Henry) and Reggie Bush (USC and Helix).

Davis’ first four years as an NFL running back with the Denver Broncos were among the most accomplished in NFL history.

In the 1998 season following his Super Bowl MVP award in January, he was the NFL MVP as he led the Broncos to a second straight Super Bowl title. Denver quarterback John Elway was without a Super Bowl trophy until Davis became his running mate in the backfield.

Davis led the AFC in rushing three straight seasons (1996-98) and won the NFL rushing title in 1998 when he ran for 2,008 yards. His 2,476 combined rushing yards in the 1998 regular season and postseason is an NFL record. Davis played seven NFL seasons until a knee injury prematurely ended his career. His last full season was 2001.

Davis is one of 24 Lincoln alums to play in the NFL. He was a selfless player who was a nose tackle his junior year and a fullback his senior year. Lincoln had a string of Division I-A college-bound running backs during Davis’ time at Lincoln he played fullback along in front of tailback Charlie Brown, who went on to have a successful career at Utah.

Since Davis was lightly recruited coming out of high school, he started his college career at Long Beach State under the late George Allen. The legendary coach from his time in the NFL as head coach of the Washington Redskins and Los Angeles Rams called Davis “Secretariat.”

After Long Beach State’s program folded, Davis finished his career at Georgia. Although he was a late-round draft pick by the Brnocos, he quickly caught the attention of Elway during training camp and preseason games. Davis provided the running game that Elway had lacked behind him during the Broncos’ seasons that ended with Super Bowl losses against the New York Giants, Washington Redskins and San Francisco 49ers.

Davis was on his way to election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a first-ballot candidate, but his shortened career may have created doubt in some voters’ eyes.

But Davis’ career compares to Gayle Sayers, another dynamic running back whose career was shortened by injuries. Sayers led the NFL in rushing twice but never won an NFL MVP or Super MVP trophy while playing seven seasons (1965-1971).

In his time, Davis was one of the most dominant running back in pro football.

Tom Shanahan can be contacted at 619-699-2334 or toms@sdhoc.com.