Fred Davis (tight end)

Frederick Martin Davis[1] (born January 15, 1986) is a former American football tight end. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at USC.

This article is about the American football tight end. For the defensive lineman, see Fred Davis (defensive lineman). For others named Fred Davis, see Fred Davis (disambiguation).

Fred Davis
Davis in 2011
No. 83, 86
Position:Tight end
Personal information
Born: (1986-01-15) January 15, 1986
Toledo, Ohio
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:247 lb (112 kg)
Career information
High school:Toledo (OH) Rogers
College:Southern California
NFL Draft:2008 / Round: 2 / Pick: 48
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:162
Receiving yards:2,043
Receiving touchdowns:13
Player stats at NFL.com

Early years

Davis prepped at Rogers High School in Toledo. He was on the USA Today All-USA second team. According to Scout.com, Davis was rated the second best wide receiver in his recruiting class coming out of high school.[2] Davis played in the 2004 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

As a high school junior, Davis considered attending Ohio State University because it was the first program to offer him an athletic scholarship. His senior season resulted in many other offers, with USC winning out with a combination of weather, location, coaches, quality players and a style of offense that suited Davis; he conversed the matter over with fellow recruit Dwayne Jarrett before they both decided to join the Trojans.[3]

College career

Davis graduated from Robert S. Rogers High School in Toledo, OH, a semester early to start spring training with the Trojans.[4] Tired of the recruiting process that accompanies top prospects, Davis secretly left Ohio to enroll at USC.[3] Recruited as a wide receiver, he showed solid speed and raw athletic ability but lacked the route-running skills and ball-catching ability of other receivers. After consulting with then-offensive coordinator Norm Chow, Davis decided to try converting to tight end.[4]

His freshman year, Davis contributed as a reserve to the eventual-national champion 2004 USC Trojans football team, playing in nine games and catching four passes behind fellow tight ends Dominique Byrd and Alex Holmes. However, because of repeated incidences of tardiness, reporting late after trips back to Ohio, Davis was not allowed to travel with the Trojans to the BCS National Championship Game in 2005 Orange Bowl. Davis reapplied himself the next season, catching 13 passes in 13 games during the 2005 season, including two in the 2006 Rose Bowl. During the 2006 season, Davis started ten games and caught 38 passes for 352 yards and three touchdowns.[4]

Fred Davis comes down with a one-handed touchdown against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Davis was a preseason team All-Pacific-10 Conference player prior to 2007 and was considered a likely high draft choice for the 2008 NFL Draft. He was on the 2007 Mackey Award watch list. Against Washington State, Davis had the best game of his career, with nine receptions for 124 yards and two touchdowns.[5] The performance marked the most yards receiving ever in a game by a Trojans tight end.[6] Prior to that, Davis had never caught more than six passes or gained more than 68 receiving yards in a game.[4]

At the end of the 2007 regular season, Davis was selected to the All-Pac-10 Conference first team by league coaches.[7] He was also selected to the SI.com All-American Second Team.[8] Davis became the first USC player to win the Mackey Award as the nation's top tight end.[9] When asked his favorite game as a USC player, Davis noted the 2006 Rose Bowl.[3]

Professional career

2008 season

Davis was drafted in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. On May 4, the last day of the Redskins mini-camp, Davis overslept and missed the morning practice. On July 19, Davis received a four-year contract from the Redskins worth $3.5 million, including $1.8 million in bonus money.

Davis was not much of a factor during the 2008 season, partially due to the lack of playing time, for the Washington Redskins. He caught three passes for 27 yards.

2009 season
Davis in the 2009 preseason wearing his original jersey #86.

During the 2009 season, in a Week 7 game vs. the Philadelphia Eagles, Davis caught his first touchdown and recorded a career-high 7 catches for 78 yards. Davis was playing first-string tight end for most of this game due to an injury to starter Chris Cooley. He finished the season with 48 receptions for 509 yards and 6 touchdowns.

2010 season

In the 2010 season, Davis had 21 receptions for 316 receiving yards. He played in all 16 games of the season and started 9 of them.

2011 season

During the 2011 preseason, Davis switched from his original jersey number of 86 to 83.[10] In the 2011 season, Davis would eventually become the starting tight end after starter, Chris Cooley, was placed on injured reserve. In Week 14, Davis and teammate, Trent Williams, were suspended for four games after repeatedly failing league drug tests.[11] Starting in 12 games, he finished the season recording career highs of 59 receptions and 796 yards, as well as having three touchdowns.[12] Despite his suspension, he was named the Redskins' 2011 Offensive Player of Year.[13]

2012 season

On March 2, 2012, the Washington Redskins placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Davis.[14][15] On March 16, 2012, he signed his one-year, franchise-player tender contract worth $5.446 million.[16] After the release of Chris Cooley, he was officially named the Redskins' starting tight end. In the Week 7 game against the New York Giants, Davis tore his Achilles tendon in the first half, ending his 2012 season.[17][18] Cooley was eventually brought back to replace Davis.[19] He finished the season with 325 yards on 24 receptions and no touchdowns.

2013 season

On February 26, 2013, Davis was officially cleared by medical personnel to play.[20] Set to become an unrestricted agent, he re-signed with the Redskins on March 29 to a one-year contract.[21] Before Davis could test the upcoming free agent market for the 2014 season, he was suspended indefinitely by the NFL for violating their substance-abuse policy.[22]

2015 season

On May 1, 2015, Davis was reinstated by the league after being suspended for roughly a year.[23] On May 11, 2015, Davis signed a one-year contract with the New England Patriots.[24] On June 19, 2015, Davis was released.[25]

Personal

On January 10, 2011, a woman by the name of Makini R. Chaka filed a civil lawsuit against Davis for an altercation that occurred between the two at a nightclub in Washington, D.C. Davis was accused of assaulting Chaka by dumping his drink on her.[26][27] The civil case is closed. During the September 17, 2013 ruling, Judge Laura Cordero wrote that Chaka "has established by a preponderance of evidence that Defendant Fred Davis assaulted and battered her."

The judge awarded Chaka $186 in medical damages, $575 to compensate for damage to "her boots, her dress, [and] her hair weave." The judge also awarded Chaka $9,000 in lost earnings and $10,000 in pain and suffering.[28]

On July 23, 2014, D.C. police announced that there was a warrant for Davis' arrest for assaulting his ex-girlfriend on June 2.[29] The next day, Davis surrendered himself to the police.[30] The charges were dropped on August 27, 2014 due to insufficient evidence.[31]

References
  1. "ESPN Profile". ESPN.com.
  2. USC 2004 Football Recruiting Class
  3. LQ Singian, Exit Interview: Fred Davis Archived September 11, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, WeAreSC.com, August 21, 2008, Accessed August 24, 2008.
  4. Gary Klein, It takes a while, but Davis catches on, Los Angeles Times, September 26, 2007, Accessed August 24, 2008.
  5. John Nadel, (1) USC 47, Washington St. 14, Associated Press, September 22, 2007.
  6. Gary Klein, Trojans find the right balance, Los Angeles Times, September 24, 2007.
  7. Pac-10 Football Awards and All-Conference Team Announced Archived February 12, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, Pacific 10 Conference, December 3, 2007.
  8. SI.com's All-Americas, SI.com, December 11, 2007.
  9. Gary Klein, Rose Bowl says no deal, for now, Los Angeles Times, December 7, 2007.
  10. Jones, Mike (July 29, 2011). "Fred Davis switches jersey number, eyes breakout". WashingtonPost.com. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
  11. "Tight End Fred Davis and Left Tackle Trent Williams Suspended for the Remainder of the Season". Archived from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
  12. Tinsman, Brian (February 17, 2012). "Roster Review: Tight Ends". Redskins.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  13. Jones, Mike (August 24, 2012). "Fred Davis, London Fletcher, Lorenzo Alexander named Redskins' 2011 players of the year". WashingtonPost.com. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
  14. Jones, Mike (March 2, 2012). "Redskins use franchise tag on TE Fred Davis". WashingtonPost.com. Retrieved March 2, 2012.
  15. Jones, Mike (March 6, 2012). "Redskins opted for non-exclusive franchise tag on Fred Davis". WashingtonPost.com. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
  16. Maske, Mark (March 16, 2012). "Fred Davis signs one-year contract with Redskins". WashingtonPost.com. Retrieved March 16, 2012.
  17. Rosenthal, Gregg (October 21, 2012). "Fred Davis out for season with torn Achilles tendon". NFL.com. Retrieved October 21, 2012.
  18. Walker, Andrew (October 21, 2012). "Davis Has Torn Achilles, Done For Season". Redskins.com. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved October 21, 2012.
  19. "Bears defeat Lions to maintain NFC North lead". Newsday. Retrieved October 23, 2012. Tight end Chris Cooley passed a physical and agreed to rejoin the Redskins a day after tight end Fred Davis was lost for the season with an Achilles tendon injury.
  20. Schefter, Adam (February 26, 2013). "Fred Davis cleared to play". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 30, 2013.
  21. Rosenthal, Gregg (March 29, 2013). "Fred Davis decides to stay with Washington Redskins". NFL.com. Retrieved March 30, 2013.
  22. Breech, John (February 19, 2014). "Redskins TE Fred Davis suspended indefinitely by NFL". CBS Sports. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
  23. Wesseling, Chris (May 7, 2015). "Ex-Redskins TE Fred Davis reinstated from suspension". NFL.com. Retrieved May 7, 2015.. On May 11, 2015, he signed a 1-year deal with the New England Patriots.
  24. Patra, Kevin. "Patriots agree to deal with TE Fred Davis". NFL.com. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
  25. Reiss, Mike. "Patriots cut Fred Davis". ESPN. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  26. Fred Davis Lawsuit: Redskins TE Represents Himself In Civil Suit Against Makini R. Chaka
  27. Kogod, Sarah (June 29, 2012). "Fred Davis accused of throwing juice on a woman his body guard claims is a pimp". WashingtonPost.com. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  28. Redskins Player Fred Davis Must Pay Damages for “Assault and Battery”
  29. Hermann, Peter (July 23, 2014). "Former Redskins player Fred Davis sought on domestic violence related charge in D.C." WashingtonPost.com. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  30. Hermann, Peter (July 24, 2014). "Former Redskins player Fred Davis surrenders to D.C. police on warrant". WashingtonPost.com. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
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