Wade Davis (American football) facts for kids
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Wade Davis speaking at the
2018 Tribeca Film Festival |
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| No. 23, 25, 42, 36 | |
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| Position: | Cornerback |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | July 28, 1977 Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight: | 180 lb (82 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Overland (Aurora, Colorado) |
| College: |
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| Undrafted: | 2000 |
| Career history | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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Wade Alan Davis II (born July 28, 1977) is an American speaker, activist, writer, and educator. He is also a former American football player.
Davis was born in Little Rock, Arkansas. He grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana and Aurora, Colorado. He played college football at Mesa State and Weber State. In 2000, he signed with the Tennessee Titans of the NFL. He later played in NFL Europe for the Berlin Thunder and Barcelona Dragons. He won the World Bowl IX title with the Berlin Thunder in 2001. After injuries, he retired from football.
After his football career, Davis became a leader in the National Gay Flag Football League. He is known for speaking publicly about his experiences as an athlete. He works to promote inclusion and equality in sports and beyond.
Davis has served as a director for the You Can Play project. This group works to end unfair treatment in professional sports. He has also helped young people learn important life skills at the Hetrick-Martin Institute in New York City.
Contents
Early Life and College Football
Wade Davis was born in Little Rock, Arkansas. He spent most of his childhood in Shreveport, Louisiana. He grew up in a Southern Baptist family. He went to church often. He was the youngest child and the only boy in his family.
As a child, Davis had a speech problem. This made him feel lonely. When he was seven, he found football. This sport became a big part of his life.
Later, Davis moved to Aurora, Colorado. He went to Overland High School and graduated in 1996.
College Football Career
Davis started his college football career at Mesa State College. This small college is in Grand Junction, Colorado. He played there in 1996.
In 1997, he transferred to Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. He played three seasons for the Weber State Wildcats football team. In 1997, he blocked two kicks. During his senior year in 1999, he made 11 tackles in one game. He was also recognized as an honorable mention for the All-Big Sky Conference team.
While at Weber State, Davis made 142 tackles. He also recovered one fumble and forced two fumbles. He defended 20 passes and made 2 interceptions.
Professional Football Career
At the NFL Scouting Combine in 2000, Wade Davis ran the 40-yard dash in 4.55 seconds. The Tennessee Titans signed him on April 18, 2000. He was an undrafted free agent after the 2000 NFL draft. However, the Titans released him after training camp.
Playing in NFL Europe
In 2001, the Titans sent Davis to the NFL Europe team Berlin Thunder. He started all 10 games as a left cornerback. He wore jersey number 23. Davis led the Berlin Thunder with 57 tackles that season. He helped the team win the World Bowl IX title. He also had 0.5 sacks, 1 interception, and defended 5 passes. After the NFL Europe season, he joined the Seattle Seahawks for their 2001 preseason.
In 2002, the Barcelona Dragons selected Davis in the first round of the NFL Europe allocation draft. He wore jersey number 25 for Barcelona. He made 41 tackles, defended 6 passes, and had 5 special teams tackles.
Return to the NFL
Davis returned to the Tennessee Titans in 2002. He wore jersey number 42 for their training camp and preseason. However, he was released before the regular season began. In 2003, he joined the Washington Redskins for their training camp. He wore jersey number 36. Davis retired from football due to a leg injury.
Activism and Public Speaking
After his football career, Wade Davis became a strong advocate for positive change. His work and story have been featured in many news outlets. These include The Washington Post, CNN, NPR, and USA Today.
Davis has also taught at universities. He was an adjunct professor at NYU and Rutgers University.
Promoting Inclusion in Sports
Davis joined the advisory board for You Can Play. This organization works to fight unfair treatment in professional sports. On August 20, 2013, he became the executive director of the organization.
Davis also co-founded the YOU Belong Initiative with Darnell L. Moore. This group offers sports training and leadership development for young people. It includes both LGBTQ youth and their straight allies. As part of YOU Belong, Davis started the Speaker's Collective. This group supports and promotes professionals of color who are part of the LGBTQ community.
In 2014, Davis became the NFL's first diversity and inclusion consultant. He works with the NFL and its sponsors. His goal is to help the NFL connect better with the LGBT community. He leads training sessions and national programs focused on inclusion.
Davis created the "#ThisIsLuv" campaign with Darnell L. Moore. This campaign highlights love within the Black community. He also partnered with the Ms. Foundation and Ebony Magazine. Together, they launched the "#BlackMenAndFeminism" campaign.
Television Appearances
In 2015, Davis appeared in the documentary F(l)ag Football. This film was about the National Gay Flag Football League. The next year, in 2016, he was a guest star on the drama American Crime. In 2019, he appeared as himself in an episode of Adam Ruins Everything. In this episode, he helped raise awareness about important social issues.
Writing Contributions
Wade Davis's writings have been published in many places. These include The Huffington Post, The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, and The Guardian.
His memoir, Interference, was planned for release in 2015. This book shares his experiences growing up in a strict religious home. It also talks about his work advocating for the rights of all people.
Awards and Recognition
- In 2014, Northeastern University gave Davis an honorary Doctorate of Public Service. This was for his leadership in fighting unfair treatment in sports.
- He was named one of the 50 Black LGBT Adults That Black LGBT Youth Should Know in 2012. This was by National Youth Pride Services.
- He was ranked #46 on The Root 100 list of Black influencers and achievers.
- He received the Audre Lorde Founder's Award from the Hispanic and Black Gay Coalition in 2012.
See also
- Homosexuality and bisexuality in American football
- List of LGBT writers
- List of people from Louisiana
- List of people from New York City
- List of Seattle Seahawks players
- List of Washington Redskins players
- List of Weber State University people
