Terrell Davis: Is This the Day?

The key to Terrell Davis’ Hall of Fame hopes now lays on one man: Jeff Legwold.

The longtime Denver Broncos beat writer for the Rocky Mountain News, Denver Post and now ESPN is the best ally Davis could have. Rest assured Legwold has watched every snap of Davis’ career, combed through the stats and record books, read Jim Saccomano’s great piece and put together the best possible presentation to “the room.”

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The day before the Super Bowl is when the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee gathers, watches presentations of the finalists and votes on who are that year’s inductees. The writer/media personality for each city presents that team’s players. There are 46 members of the committee with a media member from each city, with two from New York since there are two teams there. The 33rd member is a representative of the Pro Football Writers of America and there are 13-at large members. Here is a complete breakdown of the process and the 46-member panel.

As it stands now, four Broncos are in the Hall of Fame. Four. Yet somehow the Minnesota Vikings are about to have 13. It makes no sense.

I’m not going to get into why Davis is a Hall of Famer and it’s a sham he’s not in – I did that here. All I way is he’s the best postseason running back in NFL history and it’s not close. Why are quarterbacks lauded for postseason performance, Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw, but Davis is brushed aside because he didn’t play long enough?

Had Davis played anywhere but Denver he would be in the Hall of Fame. But that doesn’t matter now. Today it rests in the hands of Legwold.

Aug 20, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; General view of the historical monument pillars of former Denver Broncos players at the Ring of Fame plaza at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. From left: Tom Nalen (66), Rod Smith (80), Shannon Sharpe (84), Terrell Davis (30) and Steve Atwater (27). Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

As I said on Twitter on Friday night, he needs to put forth a presentation like the one Jack Buck gave for Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman Dan Dierdorf. Before the speech, Dierdorf was viewed at as a long shot – just like Davis. By all accounts, when Buck finished there was no doubt Dierdorf.

Legwold needs to do the same for Davis. If he does, Davis walks on the stage tonight at the NFL Honors as a Hall of Famer. If Legwold doesn’t, then it’s much the same as it’s been for 40 years. See: Randy Gradishar, Tom Jackson, Louis Wright, Steve Atwater and Karl Mecklenburg.

Whether your agree with the process is moot. That’s a debate for another day.

All you can do as a Broncos fan is put your faith in Legwold to give a Buck-type presentation for Davis.

There’s no better ally for Broncos Country, the Broncos or Davis.

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Sep 5, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; General view of a NFL network broadcasters Deion Sanders (left) and Terrell Davis (right) talk outside of Sports Authority Field before the game between the Baltimore Ravens against the Denver Broncos. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports