From 6th on the Depth Chart to Hall of Fame
Terrell Davis was a long shot to make the roster, and ended up having a hall of fame career because of his relentless pursuit of excellence.
It started on a hot, muggy day in Tokyo—preseason football, Broncos vs. 49ers. Davis was buried on the depth chart, a sixth-round pick who barely saw the field.
Then came the kickoff.
Process Over Results
Terrell sprints down the sideline on special teams—a role most veterans avoid. No hesitation. Full speed. Eyes locked on his assignment, not the scoreboard. On being a good teammate, not a individual star.
Impact.
A crushing hit. Shoulder through the returner. The kind of hit that makes the whole sideline stand up.
Consistency
He’d been running like this all camp. Every rep in practice. Every special teams snap. The moment just made it visible.
The camera catches Mike Shanahan—head coach—leaning forward. Teammates are shouting. Helmets are smacking.
“Who was that?”
That was Davis.
And just like that, the coaches take notice.
Special teams wasn’t glamorous. But Davis reframed it as his proving ground. Opportunity, not obligation.
By the next series, he’s in at running back. A few carries later, they realize—they’ve found their guy.
That one hit changed everything. But it was what led to that hit that gave presented that moment for Terrell.
From sixth-round long shot… to starting running back… to Super Bowl MVP… to Canton (Hall of Fame). It all began with a single play—fueled by process, consistency, and a mindset that refused to waste a moment.
“Don’t give up on yourself. That’s the lesson I learned. Don’t quit on yourself. Enough people are going to quit on you; you don’t have to quit on yourself.”
Ready to take your mental game (consistency, relentlessness, eagerness) to the level Terrell Davis was at, check out Season One.