March 24, 2013

MVP Profile: Terrell Davis, 1996

Running Back, Denver Broncos



Age: 24 (Oct. 28)
2nd season in pro football & with Broncos
College: Georgia
Height: 5’11” Weight: 200

Prelude:
Unheralded coming out of college, Davis was taken by the Broncos in the 6th round of the 1995 NFL draft and emerged to rush for 1117 yards and catch 49 passes.

1996 Season Summary
Appeared in all 16 games
[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing
Attempts – 345 [3]
Most attempts, game - 32 (for 154 yds.) at New England 11/17
Yards – 1538 [2, 1st in AFC]
Most yards, game – 194 yards (on 28 carries) vs. Baltimore 10/20
Average gain – 4.5 [7]
TDs – 13 [3, tied with Ricky Watters]
100-yard rushing games – 7

Pass Receiving
Receptions – 36      
Most receptions, game – 6 (for 42 yds.) vs. San Diego 10/6, (for 37 yds.) at Minnesota 11/24
Yards – 310
Most yards, game - 56 (on 4 catches) at New England 11/17
Average gain – 8.6
TDs – 2

Total Yards – 1848 [6]

Scoring
TDs – 15 [3, tied with Emmitt Smith]
Points – 90

Postseason: 1 G (AFC Divisional playoff vs. Jacksonville)
Rushing attempts – 14
Rushing yards – 91
Average gain rushing – 6.5
Rushing TDs – 1

Pass receptions – 7
Pass receiving yards - 24
Average yards per reception – 3.4
Pass Receiving TDs - 0

Awards & Honors:
NFL Offensive Player of the Year: AP
1st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Sporting News
1st team All-AFC: UPI, Pro Football Weekly
Pro Bowl

Broncos went 13-3 to finish first in the AFC West with the conference’s best record while leading the NFL in total offense (5791 yards) and rushing yards (2362). Lost AFC Divisional playoff to Jacksonville Jaguars (30-27).

Aftermath:
Davis rushed for 1538 yards and led the NFL with 15 rushing TDs in 1997 and was MVP of the Super Bowl win over Green Bay. His crowning achievement came in a 1998 MVP season in which Davis rushed for 2008 yards and 21 touchdowns as the Broncos repeated as champions. But after rushing for 6413 yards in four years, and receiving consensus first-team All-NFL recognition from 1996 to ‘98, Davis gained just 211 yards on the ground in 1999 as he sustained a major knee injury in the fourth game. Returning in 2000, he struggled, appearing in only five contests and rushing for 282 yards. Davis ran for 701 yards in one last injury-riddled season in 2001. For his career, he gained 7607 yards on 1655 carries (4.6 avg.), added another 1280 on 169 pass receptions, and scored 65 touchdowns.

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MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself). Also includes Associated Press NFL Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.

[Updated 2/4/14]
[Updated 11/29/14]

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