02-07-25 After Hours with Amy Lawrence PODCAST: Vernon Davis
11:02 Share

The wildfires in Los Angeles have brought a lot of pain and fear to residents of Southern California. We also know that with tragedy, it is difficult to name the help you need in the moment. Here at The Warm Line, we are here for you. Available 24 hours a day. It's okay not knowing what you need. We are here to listen, hold space, and provide the support you need. However that may look for you. Call us or text us anytime at 855-600-WARM. That's 855-600-9276.

If you're in a suicide crisis, don't wait. Call or text 988 for immediate support. And for wildfire recovery resources, reach out to CalHOPE at 833-317-HOPE. That's 833-317-4673. Together, we'll rebuild, recover, and move forward. Learn more about the California Peer-Run Warm Line at mentalhealthsf.org slash warm dash line.

The California Warm Line is made possible through the support of the California Department of Health Care Services. Is your cash working hard for you right until the very moment you need it? It could be if it was in a Wealthfront cash account. With Wealthfront, you can earn 4% annual percentage yield from partner banks until you're ready to invest. Nearly 10 times the national average. And you get free instant withdrawals to eligible accounts 24-7, 365. 4% APY is not a promotional rate.

And there's no limit to what you can deposit and earn. And it takes just minutes to transfer your cash to any of Wealthfront's expert-built investing accounts when you're ready. Wealthfront. Money works better here. Go to Wealthfront.com to start saving and investing today.

Cash account offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC member FINRA SIPC. Wealthfront is not a bank. The APY on cash deposits as of December 27, 2024 is representative, subject to change, and requires no minimum. Funds in the cash account are swept to partner banks where they earn the variable APY. The national average interest rate for savings accounts is posted on FDIC.gov as of December 16, 2024.

Go to Wealthfront.com to start today. What's up, NBA fans? It's Danny Green here. For those who want an inside look at the league through the eyes of a three-time champion, check out my podcast, Inside the Greenroom. New episodes drop every week. Be sure to subscribe to Inside the Greenroom on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts.

How did you get to catch up with Vernon Davis, the longtime NFL tight end and Super Bowl champion in New Orleans on Thursday? He's partnering with Smirnoff for the longest tailgate that comes up on Saturday, the day before the game. And with Vernon, I was thinking about his career.

It's been nine years since he won the Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos. So, of course, I had to bring that up. Vernon, what do you remember most about nine years ago winning a championship, finally a ring with the Denver Broncos?

Oh, my gosh. Winning the Super Bowl in the Broncos. I remember that like it was yesterday. It was the most amazing experience I've ever had. I mean, I played in Super Bowl XLVII, but actually winning the game and watching that confetti come down, my teammates jumping up and down, their families running on the field with their kids. I remember my son running on the field and hugging me. Daddy, Daddy, you did it. So special. So special.

You won in your 30s. How different is it when it takes almost a decade, I guess, to finally get to the top of the sport? Yeah, it takes a long time. It takes time. There's no guarantee that you'll actually win a game. So when you get there, you have to definitely be grateful for the experience because it's like it's not guaranteed. I know teammates...

who's never been to a playoff game or Super Bowl. So for me to be able to get there twice is just a true blessing and it's something I can take with me for the rest of my life. There are a few members of the Chiefs who are in a Super Bowl for the first time, like DeAndre Hopkins, for instance, and is in his 30s. The Chiefs, even though they've been around for so long, every year it's kind of neat that there are players who are experiencing it for the first time.

Yeah, it is. It is. Especially a guy like DeAndre Hopkins. I love that guy. Incredible talent. Also an incredible person. Like I said, it's beautiful. If you can get there, it doesn't matter how you got there. As long as you get there, that's all about it. The last team you played for, the Washington, well, I guess it was football team and then it was commanders, right? Did you play under two different names when you were there? Yeah, I played with the Washington Reds team. What's your reaction to them being kind of the new it team in the NFL?

I think it's awesome. I think it's awesome. Organization, watching them grow and evolve is tremendous. I didn't expect them to do as well as they did. But when you got a guy like Jay Daniels, you're only going to win games. He's incredible. His IQ for the game of football is pure far between. And he's only going to get better. If he did that in his first year, imagine what he's going to do in his second, third, and fourth year. He's going to be a fun talent to watch over the course of these next five, ten years, however long he plays.

How long does it take for a rookie, whether quarterback or receiver, maybe even a tight end? Brock Bowers had a huge year for the Raiders. But how long does it take for a rookie to really get acclimated to life as a pro in the NFL? It can take as long as two years, three years. It took me two years to really get acclimated. I didn't find that comfort until after the second year. But some guys just get it right away. Jaden Banks is one of them.

Yeah, and C.J. Stroud being another example last year where he just settled in really quickly. Yeah, he did. He did. He settled in really quickly. He's one of those special players as well. One of those guys that just comes in and it just clicks for him.

I feel like if I don't ask you about playing with Peyton Manning, my audience will be mad. Again, it's crazy that it's been almost 10 years. You weren't in Denver for very long, but a ring is a ring, and that was Peyton's last season. What was it like to be part of his last ride with the Broncos?

It was beautiful. It was beautiful. Not only did I get a chance to watch history, but I got a chance to witness a true leader in Peyton Manning. Everything he did for the team, everything he did as a player, it was special to be around. And watching him win, especially before he decided to retire, he deserves it. He definitely deserves it.

Travis Kelsey is obviously decorated at your position. He's got some rings. People keep asking about retirement. He says he's good. How difficult is it, though, at that position, your position, to maintain a high level of play over the course of a decade plus?

It's tough. It's tough. It's tough. The biggest part, too, is making sure you can stay healthy to make it that far. Because if you can't stay healthy, then you don't have anything. And I think these guys are starting to understand it even more that it's all about how fast can I bounce back and be able to help my team win games. Travis has been doing that. He's been the ultimate pro. I love watching him, and hopefully we can continue to watch him a little bit more, especially if Taylor Swift's going to be there.

Nice. So you're not one of those people that breaks out in hives every time she's shown on TV? No, no, no. I'm not a Swifty. I'm not a Swifty. Here's the part that blows me away about him, Vernon. Somehow, I don't know how the defense loses him, but somehow he finds openings, pockets in the defense, and continually when Patrick Mahomes needs him, he is open. How does that happen? How do you lose a dude as big as Travis Kelsey in your defense?

Yeah, Travis has a unique ability to be able to find that soft spot. So when you're, as a quarterback,

You know, I'm really relying on my wide receiver or tight end to find that open zone, right? It's all about zones, understanding the defense and knowing where you need to be. That's a big trust factor when it comes to the game of football. And Travis is better than anyone in doing that. That's why we've been able to see him get open so much and find those soft spots and zone coverage. Even in man-to-man, he's been effective.

I don't have anything but great things to say about Travis Kelsey when it comes to playing this game at a high level.

Super Bowl champion, former NFL tight end Vernon Davis is with us from New Orleans. It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence. How long does it take to develop a relationship like that between a quarterback and a receiver or a tight end? It's like they're an old married couple and they can finish each other's sentences. Yeah, to find that connection you're looking for, it takes a little bit of time. It starts in practice, but once you get it going in practice, then you get it transferred over to the game.

And one game at a time is when you continue to evolve. I say over the course of maybe two to three games, then you can really find that sweet spot when it comes to you being able to be on the same page with the quarterback. Yeah, they've definitely found that. Some of the talk from New Orleans yesterday was about extending the NFL regular season to 18 games. And I heard the pushback. Right, I hear it from you from the NFLPA community.

Why are players against that? According to Lloyd, he says no one wants to expand to 18. How come? The game already. I mean, guys have a hard time staying healthy. If you push the 18 games, we're talking about more wear and tear. I mean, I don't think it should be 18 games as brutal as this game can be. I mean, these guys are playing at the highest level. So if we can...

not add, but keep it where it is. We stand a better chance of seeing guys stay more healthier over time. Think about what the Chiefs and what they've done. So they've played the 17 regular season games, but even when they have the buys, they continue another month plus. They've played almost another full season of games since Mahomes arrived in Kansas City. Yeah, yeah. I mean, Mahomes is special. Like one thing is it's hard to find

a fantastic quarterback. If you find one, then you consider yourself lucky. So what Kansas City has in the homes is beautiful. That's why they've been able to win so many games in the first place. I'm not saying he can, he's the only piece. It takes a lot of different pieces in order to make it work, but he's one of the biggest pieces they have in that effort. What do you miss about the football routine or about playing the game?

I miss the locker room. I miss getting up, going in, and being in that routine, that routine that I had. Everyone has a routine. What do you like to do from the time you get up and get going, walking through the doors of that facility? What do you do? Even on the day before the game and game day, I had a consistent routine for 14 seasons. So I miss that.

I do. Does it take some time to adjust to life as a civilian? I'm using my air quotations, but life outside of football? I mean, it does for some people. I mean, I feel like for me, I started before I retired. I had a lot of things going on. Not a lot of things going on, but a lot of seeds I started to plant. Nice. For when I was done playing the game. So I was able to just leave and just walk right into various different opportunities. And I think that's a

That's a great thing for guys to really make sure they understand.

the essence of being able to like walk away from the game and just find opportunity. That's the best way. Yeah. You got to make sure you share that with younger players who need to hear that. That's really smart to do. So you don't wait till you're done. Longtime NFL tight end, former pro bowl and super bowl champion, tight end Vernon Davis. It's after hours with Amy Lawrence. You've been working with Smirnoff for a long time. You get a chance to hang out with fans coming up on Saturday, the longest tailgate. What are fans in for when they join you?

Well, they can go to Smirnoff.com to find out more information, but Smirnoff, the longest tailgate is going to be epic. I mean, we're talking about 60 foot truck bed. I hear you laughing. It's just crazy, right? It's amazing. Lowrider is going to be there performing. It's going to be incredible. I can't wait. You know, we do game days. That's what we do. And I'm excited about it. Fair enough.

They're always full of surprises and you never know what you're going to get. We've got the Smirnoff.com, the longest tailgate on Saturday. What is a Smirnoff Extraordinary Drop? Smirnoff Extraordinary Drops. This is something they did with Complex Magazine. That was a great opportunity for me. It was a lot of fun. But basically, I had to find prize possessions that I wanted to give away. I did. So we took kind of like a tour through the house to kind of see what those items were.

In a fun way? Yes. It was amazing. It was a great experience. They can go to SmirnoffDrops.com. SmirnoffDrops.com. Vernon Davis, Super Bowl champion. That's nice when you can walk around Radio Row as a champion and part of the longest tailgate on Saturday with Smirnoff. It's going to be epic, as you heard. Vernon, great to catch up with you for a couple of minutes. Thank you so much. Oh, you as well. Thank you.