Charles Davis (defensive back) facts for kids
Davis in 2018
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| No. 22 | |
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| Position: | Safety |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | November 14, 1964 Elizabethton, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight: | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | New Paltz (NY) |
| College: | Tennessee |
| Undrafted: | 1987 |
| Career history | |
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Charles Franklin Davis (born November 14, 1964) is a well-known American football expert. He works as a TV analyst, explaining games to viewers.
Currently, Charles is an analyst for NFL on CBS. He works with Ian Eagle to call football games. He also helps cover Tennessee Titans preseason games. Since 2017, he has been the analyst for the popular Madden NFL video game series. You might also see him on the NFL Network. He has worked for many other sports channels too, like Fox Sports and ESPN.
Before becoming a broadcaster, Davis played football himself. He was a safety for the Tennessee Volunteers from 1982 to 1986. He earned a master's degree in history while studying at Tennessee. Today, he lives in Windermere, Florida, with his wife, Lisa. They have two children: a son named Parker and a daughter named Taylor.
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Early Life and High School Football
Charles Davis was born in Elizabethton, Tennessee. When he was two years old, his family moved to New Paltz, New York. His father, Franklin, was a high school coach for football and basketball.
Growing up, Charles played many sports. He played football, basketball, and baseball at New Paltz High School. In football, he played several positions. He was a quarterback, a defensive back, and even a kicker.
During his senior year, Charles was a very versatile player. He threw for 742 yards and six touchdowns. He also ran for 738 yards and eleven touchdowns. On defense, he made four interceptions. As a kicker, he successfully made 15 extra points and one field goal. He was recognized for his skills, earning All-State honors in both his junior and senior years.
College Football Career
Charles Davis received a football scholarship to the University of Tennessee. He chose this school partly because one of his childhood heroes, Condredge Holloway, had played there.
Starting Strong in 1983
After taking a "redshirt" year in 1982 (meaning he practiced but didn't play in games), Charles changed positions. He moved from quarterback to free safety. He quickly became a starter during the 1983 season.
Early in the year, he made interceptions against Pittsburgh and LSU. He also had a key interception that helped Tennessee win 7–0 against Rutgers. In a big win over Alabama, he made 12 tackles. He finished the season with 58 tackles and led his team with 4 interceptions.
Overcoming Injury in 1984
At the start of the 1984 season, Charles broke a bone in his leg (a fibula) during a game against Washington State. Even though he played through the pain, he had to miss the next three games.
Later in the season, he made 8 tackles in a close win against Alabama. He also had interceptions against Kentucky and Vanderbilt. He ended the season with 34 tackles and 2 interceptions.
A Memorable 1985 Season
Before the 1985 season, Charles was named to the Preseason All-SEC team. This was a special year for the Volunteers.
For the season, he recorded 59 tackles and forced 2 fumbles. In Tennessee's big 35–7 win over Miami in the 1986 Sugar Bowl, Charles had 6 tackles and an interception.
Senior Year and Academics in 1986
Charles was again named to the Preseason All-SEC team for the 1986 season. In a game against New Mexico, he intercepted a pass and ran it back 55 yards for a touchdown.
He finished his final year with 83 tackles and 4 interceptions. He was also recognized for his excellent grades, being named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll. Charles earned a degree in political science before his senior year. He later completed a master's degree in history.
Broadcasting Career
Early Steps in Sports
After college, Charles Davis was signed by the Dallas Cowboys in 1987. However, he did not make the team. He then decided to go to graduate school.
His first experience in broadcasting was calling a University of Tennessee scrimmage game in 1987. He worked with a famous commentator, John Ward.
Charles then took on various jobs in sports. He was an assistant coach at the University of the Pacific for a year. He also worked for the Southeastern Conference and became a director at the United States Olympic Training Center. For three years, he was an assistant athletic director at Stanford University. In 1996, he joined Disney's Wide World of Sports. In 1998, he became the first African-American to direct a PGA Tour golf event, the Walt Disney World Golf Classic.
In 1997, Fox Sports South hired him as a college football analyst. He also co-hosted a morning radio show in Orlando, Florida, from 2000 to 2002. During this time, he worked as a sideline reporter for SEC football games. He also called Arena Football League games and appeared on The Golf Channel.
National Broadcasting Roles
Charles Davis began working on national sports broadcasts. He was a sideline reporter for CBS's coverage of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournaments in 2001 and 2002.
From 2002 to 2006, he joined TBS as a college football game analyst. He also worked as a sideline reporter for NBA games on TNT.
In 2007, Davis moved to Fox Sports. He called several major college football games, including the 2007 BCS National Championship Game. He also worked on Big Ten Network games. From 2009 to 2010, he transitioned to calling games for the NFL on FOX.
From 2011 to 2014, Charles was paired with Gus Johnson as the lead team for college football games on Fox. They also called some NFL games together.
Davis has been a key part of NFL Network's coverage of events like the Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine. He provided in-depth analysis on future NFL players. He also appeared on Path to the Draft and College Football Now. From 2007 to 2008, he was an analyst for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers preseason games.
In 2008, Charles joined the NFL on Fox postgame show. He worked with famous football figures like Jimmy Johnson and Terry Bradshaw. In 2014, he provided commentary for Super Bowl XLVIII for NFL Films' international broadcast.
In 2015, Davis returned to calling NFL games full-time for Fox.
Since 2016, Charles Davis and Brandon Gaudin have been the new commentators for the Madden NFL video game series. They have been featured in Madden NFL 17 through Madden NFL 25.
Starting with the 2017 NFL season, Davis became part of Fox's second main broadcasting team.
In 2020, Charles Davis moved to CBS. He became the network's second main game analyst, working with Ian Eagle. CBS announced that Davis will become their lead college football analyst after the 2025 college football season.
