:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/52856559/249429.0.jpg)
It produced the second most memorable moment in Super Bowl 32 (John Elway’s helicopter is the clear winner here), but it also proved his value and importance. Davis spent most of the first quarter gashing the Green Bay Packers. With 64 yards and one of his 3 touchdowns, it looked like Davis was going to crush all the records. Then, in the second quarter the migraine took hold.
Mike Shanahan knew the value of his running back, and the first play of the second quarter gave Broncos fans an unforgettable moment. Elway’s play action rollout resulted in a walk in touchdown, but like Shanahan said, without Davis in the game they never would have believed Denver was going to run.
With Davis out of the game, the offense stalled. They managed just a field goal out of a Brett Favre fumble. Green Bay owned the rest second quarter, all while Davis sat, waiting for the medication to kick in. Eventually, it did.
Davis ended up with 157 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns in his defining game, and in just 3 quarters of play. He ranks 5th in rushing yards in a Super Bowl, but how high could he have gone without the loss of an entire quarter? On a list that includes Hall of Famers Franco Harris, Marcus Allen, and John Riggins, Terrell Davis definitely belongs.
In a game that helped bring the entirety of Broncos Country to the promised land, Terrell Davis shined the brightest. He overcame unrelenting adversity, and still carried his team, even without the ability to see.