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Terrell Davis Scott Utterback/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Terrell Davis: Evolution of NFL keeping RBs out of Hall of Fame

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 8/10/23

Seemingly everyone has an opinion on the changing perception of the running back position and its true value in today’s NFL.

Former Denver Broncos running back Terrell Davis is no different. In fact, he has a fairly strong view of how the ever-changing landscape of the game is affecting the position — a stance that is based on the belief that it’s harder than ever for a running back to make it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“Your job is tough, man,” Davis recently told The Athletic. “It’s going to be sad because there will be some really good backs, I mean, maybe some all-time backs, who won’t get a chance to even show that they deserve to be in the Hall because they’re going to be limited in opportunities.”

In fact, Davis believes that running backs are so undervalued and treated unfairly that he recently stated on "The Pat McAfee Show" the position is essentially being eliminated from the sport, much like fullback.

"If you're a good player in the NFL you should be able to get paid no matter what position you play..

The franchise tag for RBs when Edgerrin James was playing was $8.5M and right now it's $10M" ~ @Terrell_Davis #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/CNoRN1i8Xf
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 8, 2023

Approximately 7 percent of the players inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame are running backs (22 of 314), per Pro Football Reference.

The last RB to be inducted to the Hall was former Indianapolis Colts star Edgerrin James, who was inducted in 2020 — 11 years after he officially retired. Davis himself is one of just eight RBs enshrined since 2010, five of whom weren’t elected in their first year of eligibility.

The three who were — Emmitt Smith, Marshall Faulk and LaDainian Tomlinson — rank second, fifth and sixth, respectively, in league history in total yards from scrimmage, further proving Davis’ point that in today’s NFL, a running back has to wear many hats and contribute beyond just running the ball.

“Today’s game would have killed me,” Davis said. “It’s funny now. I coach youth football, and I coach the old-school way for running backs. But most of my periods with them are spent running routes because I know that’s where the game is. I can’t get them stuck in 1990 where it was all about how you run zone and wide zones and counters and draws. They’re not running that stuff now.

“I’m giving them some of it, but most of what I give them is pass protection and receiver drills. I want them to be up with the times, so that when they go to the next level they’re not behind. I would never teach that if the game was played the way I played because you didn’t need to know that.”

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