The Carolina Panthers have yet to have a player enshrined forever in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH. Over these next few weeks, we will be looking at current Panthers and their present (and possible future) resumes to see who may represent the Panthers in the NFL Hall of Fame one day.
Because we are only focusing on current Panthers players, that means that Steve Smith will not be discussed. His resume has been brought up on Cat Scratch Reader before, and I think most of us believe he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame one day. In similar fashion, Brenton Bersin will not be discussed either as his bust is already in production as we speak. Now that we cleared that up, let’s look at our next entry in this series.
Thomas Davis, outside linebacker
Bio
Thomas Davis is a Georgia boy through and through, both growing up in and playing college football for Georgia. The University of Georgia was the only DI school to offer a scholarship to the talented defensive player in their own backyard. Davis played linebacker and safety for the Bulldogs, but the Panthers drafted him 14th overall in the 2005 NFL Draft mainly to be the linebacking answer to then-divisional nuisance Michael Vick. Davis recently announced that 2018 will be his final season in the NFL.
Stats
1,015 tackles
28 sacks
46 passes deflected
13 interceptions
18 forced fumbles
9 fumbles recovered
1 defensive touchdown
Awards/Records
Davis was largely a Pro Bowl snub until late in his career, only notching three Pro Bowl selections, all since 2015. Davis was also selected to the 2015 All Pro Team. Davis has excelled off the field as well as he was awarded the 2014 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.
Chances of getting in
1%. Thomas Davis will probably not get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The problem with his resume is also the only reason he has any chance at all of making it. Thomas Davis was the first NFL player to successfully return from three ACL tears in the same knee. Not only did he return, he flourished. He is the human embodiment of Keep Pounding and will absolutely have a statue outside Bank of America Stadium one day soon. He will not, however, have a bust in Canton. Missing essentially three full seasons in the prime of his career will all but keep him out of the Hall. His only prayer will be the sentimental vote because of what he went through on the field and what he has meant to the community off it.