Lammey: The ‘math is easy,’ Terrell Davis is a Hall of Famer

This article originally posted on Nov. 18, before the group of 26 semifinalists was trimmed to 15 finalists for the 2017 Pro Football Hall of Fame class. Running back Terrell Davis, along with fellow Ring of Famer John Lynch, were among four former Denver Broncos players to make the cut, which was unveiled on Tuesday.

Among the 26 semifinalists for possible induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017, Denver Broncos great Terrell Davis had made the cut the most times — 11.

Davis has been a finalist three times. Yet, his injury-shortened seven-year career seems to have kept the prolific runner from the halls in Canton, Ohio.

But on Thursday, Sports Radio 104.3 The Fan’s Broncos Insider Cecil Lammey said enough is enough, that Davis’ inevitable induction into the Hall of Fame “better be this year because he’s waited too long.”

“He’s too good, and when he was at the top of his game he was the best in the NFL at a time when you had more bell cows, at a time when you had Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders. At a time when you had these great running backs, Terrell Davis was better than them all,” Lammey said.

Lammey said, in looking at Davis’ career accolades, the “math is easy,” and it leads to a gold jacket.

“And with a 2,000-yard rushing season, an MVP, and a Super Bowl MVP, the math is easy. No matter how you slice it, the math is easy. Add it up. Terrell Davis deserves to be in the Hall of Fame,” Lammey said.

A sixth-round draft pick by the Broncos in 1995, Davis owns a slew of Denver franchise records, including, but not limited to, most yards from scrimmage (8.887), most rushing yards in a single season (2,008), most combined yards in a single season (2,225), and most career touchdowns (65).

However, perhaps the most impressive statistics come from Davis’ postseasons. He holds an NFL record for most consecutive games rushing for 100-yards or more (7), the highest yards per carry (5.9), and most rushing touchdowns in a Super Bowl (3).

“The Denver Broncos have a couple of rings because Mike Shanahan decided to take a chance on a kid from Georgia,” Lammey said of Davis.

The 26 semifinalists will be whittled down to 15 in January, and those elected will be announced during the “NFL Honors” awards ceremony the evening before the Super Bowl.

Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.