After he displayed the speed of a wide receiver and the strength of an offensive line at the 2006 scouting combine, there were plenty of people who thought Vernon Davis was going to be something special in the NFL.
But through his first three seasons, he had caught only 103 passes for 1,132 yards and nine touchdowns. Those numbers would have been fine for a tight end who predominantly blocked, but certainly not for a player that many thought would be a weekly mismatch for his opponents in the passing game.
The media started to get on Davis in his second year because they could see a bust in the making. He wasn’t producing on the field and even worse, his work ethic and maturity had come into question as well.
Then, following a 34-13 loss to the Seahawks in late October of 2008, this happened:
It was the day that Vernon Davis got a fire lit under his ass by one of the best motivators in the game today.
Last year, Davis played in all 16 games and racked up 78 receptions for 965 yards and 13 touchdowns – by far his best season as a pro. He still displayed some of the mental mistakes that have haunted him throughout his career, but because he worked hard and produced, he recently earned a $37 million contract extension that includes $23 million in guaranteed money.
For those that are unaware, that contract now makes him the highest paid tight end in league history.
Now, I’m not going to debate whether or not he’s done enough to earn that kind of money. I’ve written many times before that this is just how the NFL salary structure works – the latest to sign get paid the most. That’s just how it is.
But it’s interesting that Davis was essentially a bust for three seasons in San Francisco before Singletary became the head coach. He has always had the physical tools and ability to succeed in the NFL, but before Singletary arrived he wasn’t focused or motivated enough to become great (not saying he’s great now, but he’s working towards it, at least). And while he still has a long way to go, he’s become a leader under Singletary and someone whose work ethic is now admired in the locker room.
Davis can thank his head coach for that, as well as his phat new contract.
