On a sun-filled January day, running back Terrell Davis stood atop a fire truck that slowly wound through downtown Denver during the Broncos' Super Bowl victory parade while 650,000 raucous fans were chanting "TD! TD! TD!"
It was a moment of exhilaration and accomplishment for Terrell, whose record-setting, three-touchdown performance against the Green Bay Packers earned him the Super Bowl XXXII MVP. As he waved and gave the Mile High Salute, Terrell couldn't help but think of how unbelievable it all was, how it had taken so much to get to this shining moment.
"If I were to jump outside my body and get a chance to read my life story, I would say, `Man, that's amazing.' I've never heard, seen, or read a story like this--never."
Terrell had faced hurdles that make carrying a football seem easy in comparison. There were blinding migraine headaches that had haunted him from the age of seven and almost removed him from the Super Bowl; a capricious father, who toughened Terrell in unorthodox ways, yet helped mold him into the person and player he is today; an arrest in college that could have cost him everything he ever wanted; a contentious relationship with his head coach at the University of Georgia that made him more determined than ever.
At Lincoln High School, before being switched to fullback during his senior year, Terrell was a nose guard, attracting scant attention from colleges. At Long Beach State, his college of choice, the football program folded two seasons after Terrell arrived. At Georgia, Terrell saw his stock and reputation almost irreparably damaged, all leading to him becoming the 196th player and 21st running back selected in the 1995 NFL draft. Finally, in his rookie year with the Broncos, he battled from being a sixth-string running back to starter in the span of only one summer. Not since his Pop Warner days, when he was known as "Boss Hogg," was he thought of as a go-to guy, and now, here he was, one of the NFL's top players.
TD: Dreams in Motion is a candid and surprising autobiography, unlike any sports book. It takes you on a journey through Terrell's life and into his mind and heart. It explains how Terrell has been able to maintain the edge that others have lost. It spells out the origins of the Mile High Salute that became a nationally recognized sports symbol and celebration. It discusses the unique relationship he shares with his mother, a remarkable and compassionate woman.
Perhaps most important, TD: Dreams in Motion is inspirational. It helps you understand why Terrell has been able to persevere while others he has known have veered off the road.
Terrell will overwhelm you not with his moves on the football field, but with his words on the page. Searing and gut-wrenching, lighthearted and funny, honest and real, this is Terrell Davis's own story, the memoirs of a champion.
Terrell Davis, 25, is the Super Bowl XXXII MVP, the American Football Conference's rushing champion the past two seasons, and regarded as one of football's nicest and most likable players. He lives in Aurora, Colorado.
Adam Shefter, 32, a sports reporter for the Denver Post, has covered the Denver Broncos since 1990. He lives in Denver, Colorado.
Award-winning writer Adam Schefter is an NFL correspondent for ESPN. The former president of the Pro Football Writers of America and former Hall-of-Fame voter is the coauthor of three books, including the New York Times bestseller Romo: My Life on the Edge. Schefter lives in New York.
