Former Pro Bowl Tight End Vernon Davis Knows What it Takes to Be Great On and Off the Field
The 2016 Super Bowl champion views greatness as something anyone can achieve, they just need to put in the work.
Talent, it seems, is unevenly distributed. But talent alone is only one element of success.
The other ingredients are hard work, dedication, and perseverance—qualities former San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis learned to master throughout his storied NFL career, one that included a stint with the Washington Commanders and a Super Bowl winning season with the Denver Broncos.
On and off the field, Davis epitomized greatness, which is why he partnered this spring with Sminoffstraordinary Drops, a new platform dedicated to discovering and celebrating extraordinary products and experiences.
When we connect over Zoom, he’s eager to discuss the core elements to his professional success, many of which he outlines in his latest book, Playing Ball: Life Lessons, which takes a deeper look at his life experiences and how they’ve helped shape the man he’s become.
Stephen Laddin: Growing up in Washington, D.C., did you always know football was going to be your path?
Vernon Davis: Football for me was just fun. It was something I could go out and do with my buddies. But while we would play tackle football in the grass and sometimes touch football on the cement, I always focused on basketball.
Basketball was the sport for me because it wasn’t that physical. I was always afraid to wear the helmet, so I kind of stayed away from football initially.
Stephen Laddin: At what point did you decide to lean in?
Vernon Davis: It was around eighth grade when I decided to put the helmet on, go out on the field and play some football, which is also when I started to realize I was actually good at it. Whether it was catching the ball and running by everybody or going out and making 10 to 15 tackles per game, I was able to get a gauge on myself based on my performance in those games. It really inspired me to keep going in the sport, and that’s why I decided to play football.
Stephen Laddin: So you finally decide to commit yourself to the game. What was the moment you realized your skill set was beyond just making a ton of tackles and could actually lead to something?
Vernon Davis: It was maybe my sophomore year of high school when every time I touched the ball, whether from the tight end position or on defense, I would just make plays all the time. That’s when I realized I had a chance at it, that it was something I could do. So I did it full speed, took advantage of the opportunity, put the work in and just gave it my all.
Stephen Laddin: How does the journey of trying to be your best self relate to your partnership with Smirnoff?
Vernon Davis: Smirnoff has been amazing and they’re great at everything they do. Any chance I get to be a part of something where I’m connecting with people is always special.
Stephen Laddin: In terms of methodology for success, how did you go from deciding to put the helmet on in eighth grade to becoming a Super Bowl champion and potential NFL Hall of Famer?
Vernon Davis: It’s the work that you put in. It was my work ethic and everything I put into becoming a great player, but it didn’t happen overnight. It took a lot of experience and a lot of trial and error. But again, and most importantly, it’s the work that you put in.
I put in a lot of hours by myself and with the team. I understood the essence of what it took to be “great” instead of “good,” because there is a difference. “Good” is just doing what the coaches and trainers tell you to do. When you’re “great,” you go beyond that. When you’re at home in the house you feel someone out there is outworking you. You know you have to get up out of bed on Saturdays and Sundays or when there’s holidays, and you have to go outside and you have to work. Because if you don’t, that person who’s playing the same position as you is outworking you.
When you understand that and you live like that—whether it’s this game or whatever’s a part of your life—you have to become it and live it. It’s everything. Once you understand that, your career can take off.
Stephen Laddin: Did imparting lessons like that serve as the basis for writing your book, Playing Ball: Life Lessons?
Vernon Davis: The book is an opportunity for everyone to see my journey, to see that I’m a human being, that I’m real and that I go through things. I have moments when I feel depressed, moments when I don’t want to keep pressing forward, but I have to reach deep down inside and find something within myself that says, “Hey, I’m going to keep going.” Once you do that, you can give that back, and give the audience a chance to see who you are as a human being—-that you’re just like them and can relate to one another.
You never know what someone else is going through. Life is very delicate. It’s one of those things where we need each other and need to understand that other people are going through the same things we’re going through. That gives us hope and the inspiration to keep pressing forward, and that’s what people will be able to see when they read my book.
Follow @vernondavis85 and check out smirnoffdrops.com for more information on the Smirnoffstraordinary Drops