A Final Mile High Salute!

Last night was a big night at INVESCO Field at Mile High. The occasion? The Ring of Fame–created in 1984 by Pat Bowlen recognizing and honoring Broncos team members who played momentous roles in the organization’s history. This Ring of Fame dinner was to welcome and celebrate its newest inductee — Terrell Davis.

The event dually honored alumni, while presenting Terrell Davis with the honor that only 20 other members of the Denver Broncos can be associated with. In tribute to the Broncos Alumni Weekend, individuals from the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, ’00s as well as some existing Ring of Famers gathered to share their mutual admiration and put their hands together for a career well done. After an introduction from Pat Bowlen, Mike Shanahan, and a highlight video it was time for the guest of honor. Terrell Davis accepted his newest achievement in true T.D fashion, humorously including stories of his years in the league, emitting humility, gratitude and sincere thanks to all of his coaches, fans and mentors, and of course topping it off with a Mile High Salute to solidify his final thought.

This season we begin every game with the Mile High Salute to honor that legacy and encourage support amongst the entire Broncos community. Every single time I look up at the 20 (now 21!) Ring of Fame names engraved at INVESCO I am reminded of the sweat, tears, passion and determination that have gone into every single game day to make each season…each day count.

Terrell Davis was one of the first 5 runningbacks to gain 2,000 yards in a single season. An instrumental ingredient in Denver’s two Super Bowl winning season’s in ‘97 and ‘98, earning (as you may recall) Super Bowl MVP; rushing for 157 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Green Bay in ‘98. While I was not a member of the Denver Broncos Cheerleaders during those Super Bowl wins, I was definitely a fan of the championship team, and that kind of talent is impossible to deny.

His ultimate career stats speak for themselves–rushing 7,607 yards and 60 touchdowns, and recording seven straight 100-yard rushing performances in the playoffs, an NFL record. This fact left Mike Shanahan, Mr. Bowlen and all in attendance wondering the same thing–Hall of Fame for the 6th round pick?

This evening acknowledged TD in Broncos Country–now many of us are anxiously awaiting the day number 30 is retired in Canton, Ohio in the football Hall of Fame!

Perhaps John Elway says it best, “There were so many times I’d just stand back there, and I had the best seat in the house to watch him run…. Personally, I think he should be in the Hall of Fame. I think if you look at the years that he carried the ball, it’s almost like an Earl Campbell. The number of touches that he had for a four-, five-year period, if you take those and spread them out, it pretty much equals a 10- to 11-year career. I mean, we used him to death, and he took a heck of a beating for those four, five years when we wanted to get the ball in his hands.”

God Bless!
Keela (9/22/07)