With Terrell Davis set to retire Tuesday, the the question now becomes is Davis worthy of a spot in the Hall of Fame? While Davis has only played seven seasons in the NFL, his four-year stretch from 1995-1998 has to rank among the best for any running back in NFL history. Those who think Davis belongs in the Hall will point to Gale Sayers' short but productive NFL career; Davis' 2,000-yard season in 1998; and the fact that he has two Super Bowl rings. Those who think Davis comes up short of Hall of Fame recognition might point out that Davis was more a product of a great system than he was an exceptional talent.

We asked ESPN.com users to weigh in on this question last week when Davis' retirement appeared imminent and some of the best responses we received are below.

	Terrell Davis rushed for 2,008 yards and scored 23 touchdowns in 1998.

T.D. should be Hall of Fame bound
The now famous four words, "This one's for John!" that Pat Bowlen proclaimed after the Broncos defeated the Packers could have been followed by another three, "Thanks to Terrell." At that point in his career, the future Hall of Fame QB was no longer the heart of his teams production, his should be future Hall of Fame running back was.

Sure Davis first two injury seasons were reasonably replaced by the surprise production of Gary and Anderson, but neither of those backs produced like Davis. Sure the Broncos had the best offensive line in football, but no one found the holes, burst through them, and punished would-be tacklers like Davis. Yes he took advantage of his system, but Montana wouldn't have been Montana without Craig, Rice, and Walsh.

As for career longevity, there is the obvious Gale Sayer's card, but beyond that, there is the volume accomplished in those years -- more than many Hall of Famers have accomplished in a much longer career.

-- A 4.78 yards per carry average before the injuries

-- A 2000+ yard season (one that could have been a league record if the Broncos hadn't been so dominating -- I specifically remember Davis spending the second half of the Dallas game on the bench after burning them for 100+ yards in the first half)

-- League MVP

-- Super Bowl MVP

-- Back-to-Back Super Bowl rings

Looks like a Hall of Famer to me.
Joe Burnham
St. Louis, Mo.

Terrell Davis is hands down one of the best backs of not only the 90's, but of all time. It's always tough to predict what a player "might have" done, but Davis would have been one of the best. Lets remember, Davis was injured the season after he rushed for over 2,000 yards and a Super Bowl victory. Who knows how many yards he would have rushed for in 1999. The one thing I can say about Davis is that in my 10-plus years of watching football religiously, I have never seen a running back reel off 7-10 yard gains constantly throughout a game like Terrell Davis did. On top of everything else, he is a stand up guy.
George A. Marzano
Sewell, N.J.

If Koufax belongs in the Baseball Hall, and Sayers in the Football Hall, then Davis absolutely goes in on the first ballot. His rushing average per game, touchdowns, MVP's and Super Bowl Championships stack up to anybody in a short, very exceptional career. And by the way, he hasn't retired yet.
Russ Henson
Redondo Beach, Calif.

While not a Broncos fan, I certainly appreciate great talent and heart, and I think T.D. should be in the Hall of Fame. His best years stack up against anybody's best years (Simpson, Dickerson, Sanders), and he won two Super Bowls, which many players do not do. He should be remembered as 'the guy who completed John Elway's career' because without him, Elway does not win those two Super Bowls.
David Morales
Oakland, Calif.

The only way to keep T.D. out of the Hall would be to limit the selection criteria to purely numbers. Other than that, the man's credentials speak for themselves: Two rings, Super Bowl MVP, League MVP, two thousand yards in a season! Lest we forget that in the three seasons from 1996 through 1998, T.D. was the best back in the game, period.
Ivan Campbell
Los Angeles, Calif.

Short career means no Hall for T.D.
Not a chance!! Longevity is one of the most important factors when determining hall enshrinement. Sure he put up big numbers (TD's and yards per carry), but didn't do so for an expanded period of time. In this era when 1000 yards rushing per season is simply slightly better than average, his numbers don't make up for his apparent shortened career.
Aaron Kalata
Minneapolis, Minn.

No way does Davis belong in the Hall of Fame. While he was a good back his numbers and production were paved away by the other weapons around him and his O-Line, just ask Gary and Anderson. His short lived career and numbers does not warrant his induction. It would be a tragedy to see Davis go in with so many other deserving players not in.
Eric Pearson
Denver, Colo.

As a diehard Raider I will not only say NO, but HECK NO. Terrell Davis was the recipient of a chop blocking offensive line and an All-Pro fullback. If they make a room in the Hall for guys who know how to run through a 10 foot wide gap then he's a first ballot. He's good, but not great. Wish he'd stay for one more Raider-Bronco game so we can pound on him again.
Steven Clark
Stockton, Calif.

Consideration yes, a vote no. He really only had 3 productive years (his first year he only rushed for 1100+ yards which is not that great in a 16-game season) and his team did not suffer a big let down when he went out with an injury. His career, along with Gary & Anderson's years give more weight to the quality of the Bronco's offensive line.
Pat Manley
Sioux Falls, S.D.

No, I don't think three years of great performance and then four years of injured obscurity warrants a spot in Canton. If he would have actually played and stayed productive throughout the full seven years then I think you have a great case to put him in the Hall of Fame. A good example is your counterpart Sterling Sharpe. He played better than all the wide receivers in his short 7-year career and should be in the Hall of Fame, but isn't.
Wayne Rice
Houston, Texas

Mixed opinion
Even as a lifelong Broncos diehard (I grew up in Denver and recently moved to Minnesota), I have mixed feelings about this issue. I would never argue the fact that for a time, T.D. was the best running back in the game. By far. He had, and I suppose still has, the best natural talent and instincts for the game of all the current Bronco backs in my opinion, so I still do think of him as the "best" from a great system in Denver. And no one can deny that he had at least one spectacular season. During the Broncos' recent heyday (1996 - 2000, arguably), no one in Denver doubted for a minute that if T.D. got the ball, great things would happen.

To me, though, the problem that arises is the issue of durability. Obviously, he has been plagued by injuries. And even though we as sports fans hear that term overused to the point of absurdity, I do think it applies in this case. But at the same time, I tend to think of Hall Of Famers as guys who made a big mark on the league in the long and short term. T.D. never had a chance to go long term. If he did, he would be a dead lock for me.

So I would say that I would definitely root for him to get to Canton, and would think he did deserve it if it happened, but if he isn't included I would understand why.

(PS I can't believe I just wrote this, my blood has turned a shade less orange....)
Amos Jarrell
Minneapolis, Minn.

Wait and see
I think it's a little premature to judge whether or not Terrell Davis is ready for the Hall of Fame. The people who have been inducted in to the Hall of Fame -- whether it be for their numbers, potential, or impact on the game -- these people and their accomplishments have stood the test of time. Maybe that's why they have that five year rule?
Jody Crews
Virginia Beach, Va.