Antone Davis
Encyclopedia
Antone Eugene Davis is a former American football
offensive tackle and guard
. He played one year of football
at Peach County High School
in Fort Valley, Georgia
, and was recruited out of high school by the Tennessee Military Institute
, for whom he played one year of college football
. He earned a full scholarship to the University of Tennessee
the following year and started at left guard during his sophomore year in 1988
. He was moved to right offensive tackle before his junior year as a Tennessee Volunteer
and earned consensus All-America
honors as a senior in 1990
. He finished as a finalist for the Outland Trophy
as well, and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles
of the National Football League
as the eighth overall selection in the 1991 NFL Draft
.
Davis played for five seasons with the Eagles, who traded two first-round draft picks to pick Davis. In his rookie season, he started in fifteen games, missing one start in week seven due to his benching. He started in fifteen games again in 1992, missing one game due to a knee sprain. Davis started in every game for the Eagles in 1993 at right tackle, but was moved inside to left guard in 1994 following the team's pick of tackle Bernard Williams
in the 1994 NFL Draft
. Davis struggled at his new position and was benched again for the final two games of the season. He began the 1995 season as a backup, but injuries forced him to start in the final thirteen games of the season. Considered a draft bust in Philadelphia, Davis signed with the Atlanta Falcons
in 1996 and spent two seasons with the team. He is currently a contestant on the twelfth season
of The Biggest Loser.
, Georgia
and attended Peach County High School
in Fort Valley. His father, Milton, was raised in North Philadelphia, and moved when he was seventeen years old. Davis worked many jobs in high school, including work in the high school cafeteria. He had attendance issues
that caused him to be held back
in ninth grade. He weighed about 300 pounds (136.1 kg) at the age of fourteen. Unable to play football
as a sophomore because of his grades, Davis refocused and brought his grades up. He played football as a junior, but could not play as a senior due to his class graduating the year prior.
for one season at the Tennessee Military Institute
, who recruited him out of high school after graduation. He received a full scholarship to the University of Tennessee
the next year. Following the graduation of Tennessee
's two starting offensive guards, Harry Galbreath
and John Bruhin, Davis was expected to start for the Volunteers at left guard in 1988
as a sophomore. An ankle injury suffered during the season-opener against Georgia
on September 3 caused him to miss the next four games, before he was able to return against Alabama
on October 15. Before the start of the 1989 season
, Davis was moved to right offensive tackle. He was named as a finalist for the Outland Trophy
in November 1990 as a senior, but lost out to defensive tackle Russell Maryland
from Miami
. Davis earned consensus All-America honors
, receiving honors from the Football News, the Walter Camp Foundation, the Associated Press
, the Newspaper Enterprise Association, and the United Press International
. He also earned All-SEC
honors. Following the 1990 season
, Davis won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy
in January 1991, as the best blocker in the SEC. He played in the Hula Bowl
on January 18, 1991, for the East squad.
Davis earned the University of Tennessee's Chancellor Citation for his community service efforts during his college career, including his contributions with the "Just Say No
" campaign, the American Cancer Society
, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
, and the Knoxville Community Parks Association. He graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in urban studies in December 1990.
, but received criticism for weight issues and his up-and-down personality. He had 26 repetitions in the bench press
. Before the draft, analyst Mel Kiper, Jr.
said, "Davis has slipped a bit. He's still a Top 10 pick, but his recent workouts haven't been good." John Butler, the Buffalo Bills
' director of player personnel said Davis was "a blueprint tackle, with size and everything else."
Davis was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles
as the eighth overall selection in the 1991 NFL Draft
, one pick after former Tennessee teammate Charles McRae
was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
. It was the first time in NFL history that two former college teammates who played the same position were drafted back-to-back. Davis was the first draft pick by new Eagles head coach
Rich Kotite
. The Eagles traded up from the 19th pick with the Green Bay Packers
to select Davis, giving Green Bay the 19th selection (which was used on cornerback
Vinnie Clark
) and a first-round pick in the 1992 NFL Draft
. The pick in 1992 ended up being the 17th selection, and the Packers traded it to the Atlanta Falcons
for quarterback
Brett Favre
on February 10, 1992. The Falcons then traded the pick to the Dallas Cowboys
(who used it to select cornerback Kevin Smith
) and received the 19th selection (used to select running back Tony Smith
) and a fourth round pick (used to select cornerback Frankie Smith).
After holding out for 21 days, Davis was signed initially to a contract designed as a temporary compromise in order to get him into training camp on August 5, 1991. It was speculated that the reason behind Davis' holdout and the temporary compromise was that Davis and his agent wanted to see what McRae, who also held out with the Buccaneers, signed for first. Davis was not allowed to practice with the team until he was under contract, thus the compromise contract enabled him to practice while still work to get a long-term deal done. The compromise was a one-year contract with an option for a second year, and Davis received $600,000 in signing the first contract. He was able to play against the Cincinnati Bengals
in the Eagles' third preseason game on August 10. Davis was projected to be the Eagles' starting right offensive tackle for the 1991 season
. Davis suffered a sprained ankle while running laps around JFK Stadium and tripping over a goal post support on August 19. Due to the injury, he was taken out of the preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts
on August 23 at halftime by Kotite. The Eagles and Davis finalized a five-year contract worth $4.6 million on September 6 following the first week of the season. Davis changed his jersey number
from 77 to 78 after signing the contract. He had his best game of the season in week four against the Pittsburgh Steelers
on September 22, as Kotite called more run plays to the right side towards the end of the game. Davis had a key block on a Jim McMahon
quarterback sneak
touchdown and McMahon gave Davis the ball immediately after to spike
in celebration. The Eagles were given a five-yard penalty for the spike. In a week five game against the Washington Redskins
on September 30, Davis gave up two sacks against defensive end Charles Mann, who received Pro Bowl
honors after the season. Davis gave up a total of ten sacks in the first five games of the season.
Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in week six on October 6, Davis was benched in the third quarter after he was called for three holding penalties and was replaced by Bruce Collie
. Collie suffered a knee injury in his second play, and Davis re-entered the game. The day after the game, Kotite said about Davis: "He certainly played poorly yesterday without question. If you've got eyes you could see that." Ron Heller
moved from left tackle to replace Davis at right tackle the next week against the New Orleans Saints
. Daryle Smith
, after being waived in training camp, was re-signed to play left tackle. Due to a groin injury suffered by Smith, Davis regained his starting job at right tackle with Heller moving back to left tackle against the San Francisco 49ers
in week nine. Davis gave up two sacks against Charles Haley
in the game and was called for holding once, but Kotite said Davis improved from his previous start. Davis started in every game at right tackle after his benching in 1991. Kotite praised Davis after the Giants
game on November 4, saying that he "played very well."
, Davis vowed to refuse all requests for interviews by the media in an attempt to focus on getting better. In the season-opener against the New Orleans Saints, Davis helped the Eagles lead the NFC in rushing for the week with 186 yards. Against the Washington Redskins in week seven on October 18, 1992, he suffered a knee sprain after being hit by quarterback Randall Cunningham
. He was listed as doubtful before the following game against the Phoenix Cardinals
, and did not play in the game. He was listed as doubtful again before the game against the Dallas Cowboys in week nine. Otho Davis
, the team's head athletic trainer, said Davis was not working hard enough to rehabilitate his knee. Antone Davis was upgraded to questionable two days before the game, and started against the Cowboys on November 1. In the wild card playoff game against the Saints on January 3, 1993, Davis gave up a sack against Rickey Jackson
, which caused a Cunningham fumble. Davis started in all 15 games he played during the regular season, and started in both of the team's playoff games. Pro Football Weekly
rated Davis as the 26th-best offensive tackle in the league for the season.
, who signed with the Green Bay Packers following the 1992 season after spending eight seasons with the Eagles and earned seven Pro Bowl selections, said that he believed he destroyed Davis' confidence as a rookie and second-year player, as Davis had to go up against White in practice every week. White said "there are some guys who get very discouraged because they can't block you. I think that was the situation at times with Antone." Davis, however, disputed White's statements as the Eagles played against the Packers in the second week of the season. Dave Goldberg, a writer for the Associated Press, named Davis to his "all-unsung" team after his performance against White. Davis started in every game for the Eagles at right tackle in 1993.
in the first round of the 1994 NFL Draft
, Davis moved inside to play left offensive guard in the 1994 season
. Davis was ejected from a week thirteen game against the Atlanta Falcons on November 27, along with Lester Holmes
, for fighting on the field with defensive tackle Pierce Holt
of the Falcons. Davis was benched in favor of rookie Joe Panos
before a week sixteen game against the New York Giants after committing seven penalties in his previous fourteen starts. Davis played in the final two games of the season. Head coach Rich Kotite was fired after the season.
, Davis was moved back to right tackle. Rhodes said that after looking at the 1994 season's game footage, he determined Davis' "best position for [the Eagles] is at tackle." The Eagles signed former Packer Joe Sims
on April 14, 1995, to compete with Davis for the starting right tackle job. The team reportedly tried to trade Davis in order to move up in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft
, but no team would take their offer. Due to left tackle Bernard Williams' six game suspension from the NFL, Sims moved over to the left, with Davis staying at right tackle before the preseason. However, due to his performance in training camp, Davis was benched before a preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on August 24, in favor of Lester Holmes. Holmes suffered a knee injury during the second week of the season and was replaced by Davis. Davis replaced him in week three against the San Diego Chargers
and started in the remaining thirteen games of the season and two playoff games thereafter. In a week fourteen game against the Seattle Seahawks
, Moe Elewonibi played in place of Davis for two series in a move, as Rhodes explained, aimed at giving reserve players experience in case of injury. Davis suffered a mild concussion in a wild card playoff game against the Detroit Lions
after he was kicked in the head. His rookie contract expired following the season and he was considered a draft bust after being taken in the first round in 1991.
at right tackle. Davis started in place of the injured Richards for a week five game against the San Francisco 49ers on September 29. Richards came from his injury in week six, but he and Davis split playing time in weeks seven and eight against the Houston Oilers and Dallas Cowboys, respectively. Richards was waived on October 23 by the Falcons, who decided to go with Davis at right tackle for the remainder of the year. Davis suffered a right ankle sprain in a week sixteen game against the St. Louis Rams
on December 15.
The Falcons proposed a restructured contract to Davis, reportedly worth $3 million for three years in March 1997. After starting the first three games at right tackle, Davis was benched in favor of backup Matt Willig
on September 18. Davis did not play in the remaining thirteen games of the season, and was waived by the team on February 11, 1998.
The Green Bay Packers signed Davis on January 22, 1999, reuniting him with new Packers coach Ray Rhodes. His tenure with the Packers was short-lived, however, as Green Bay released him in June.
Davis finished his seven-year NFL career with 87 starts in 97 games and recovered a fumble in 1997.
, for a short time after his career ended. He currently works as a manager of a Chili's
restaurant. He is married with four children and resides in Murfreesboro, Tennessee
.
Davis is a contestant on the twelfth season
of The Biggest Loser, which began airing in 2011. He struggled with his weight after his football career ended, and he weighed 476 pounds (215.9 kg) before he decided to go on The Biggest Loser. He began the show weighing 447 pounds (202.8 kg).
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
offensive tackle and guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
. He played one year of football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
at Peach County High School
Peach County High School
Peach County High School is a public high school located in Fort Valley, Georgia, USA. The school is part of the Peach County School District which serves Peach County, Georgia.-Athetics:...
in Fort Valley, Georgia
Fort Valley, Georgia
Fort Valley is a city in and the county seat of Peach County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 9,815.Fort Valley is the corporate headquarters of the Blue Bird Corporation, a large manufacturer of buses...
, and was recruited out of high school by the Tennessee Military Institute
Tennessee Military Institute
Tennessee Military Institute, also known as TMI Academy, began as Sweetwater Military College, founded by Presbyterian minister J. Lynn Bachman, and was located just outside Sweetwater, Tennessee. It closed in 1988. The buildings were later used by Tennessee Meiji Gakuin, a school intended for high...
, for whom he played one year of college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
. He earned a full scholarship to the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
the following year and started at left guard during his sophomore year in 1988
1988 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 1988 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Volunteers offense scored 212 points while the defense allowed 286 points. At season's end, the Volunteers were not ranked in either of the major...
. He was moved to right offensive tackle before his junior year as a Tennessee Volunteer
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
and earned consensus All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
honors as a senior in 1990
1990 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 1990 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 1990 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Volunteers offense scored 465 points while the defense allowed 220 points...
. He finished as a finalist for the Outland Trophy
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
as well, and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
as the eighth overall selection in the 1991 NFL Draft
1991 NFL Draft
The 1991 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 21–22, 1991 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Manhattan, New York...
.
Davis played for five seasons with the Eagles, who traded two first-round draft picks to pick Davis. In his rookie season, he started in fifteen games, missing one start in week seven due to his benching. He started in fifteen games again in 1992, missing one game due to a knee sprain. Davis started in every game for the Eagles in 1993 at right tackle, but was moved inside to left guard in 1994 following the team's pick of tackle Bernard Williams
Bernard Williams (gridiron football)
Bennie Bernard Williams is a former American and Canadian football offensive tackle. Williams was the Eagles first round draft pick in the 1994 NFL Draft and started all 16 games for them in 1994, but was banned from the NFL after failing 15 drug tests...
in the 1994 NFL Draft
1994 NFL Draft
The 1994 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24-25, 1994. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
. Davis struggled at his new position and was benched again for the final two games of the season. He began the 1995 season as a backup, but injuries forced him to start in the final thirteen games of the season. Considered a draft bust in Philadelphia, Davis signed with the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1996 and spent two seasons with the team. He is currently a contestant on the twelfth season
The Biggest Loser: Battle of the Ages
The Biggest Loser: Battle of the Ages is the twelfth season of the NBC reality television series entitled The Biggest Loser. The contestants competed to win a $250,000 prize. It premiered on September 20, 2011. Along with existing trainer Bob Harper , two new trainers will join this season...
of The Biggest Loser.
Early years
Davis grew up as the youngest of eight children in Fort ValleyFort Valley, Georgia
Fort Valley is a city in and the county seat of Peach County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 9,815.Fort Valley is the corporate headquarters of the Blue Bird Corporation, a large manufacturer of buses...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
and attended Peach County High School
Peach County High School
Peach County High School is a public high school located in Fort Valley, Georgia, USA. The school is part of the Peach County School District which serves Peach County, Georgia.-Athetics:...
in Fort Valley. His father, Milton, was raised in North Philadelphia, and moved when he was seventeen years old. Davis worked many jobs in high school, including work in the high school cafeteria. He had attendance issues
Truancy
Truancy is any intentional unauthorized absence from compulsory schooling. The term typically describes absences caused by students of their own free will, and usually does not refer to legitimate "excused" absences, such as ones related to medical conditions...
that caused him to be held back
Grade retention
Grade retention or grade repetition is the process of having a student repeat an educational course, usually one previously failed. Students who repeat a course are referred as "repeaters"...
in ninth grade. He weighed about 300 pounds (136.1 kg) at the age of fourteen. Unable to play football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
as a sophomore because of his grades, Davis refocused and brought his grades up. He played football as a junior, but could not play as a senior due to his class graduating the year prior.
College career
Davis played college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for one season at the Tennessee Military Institute
Tennessee Military Institute
Tennessee Military Institute, also known as TMI Academy, began as Sweetwater Military College, founded by Presbyterian minister J. Lynn Bachman, and was located just outside Sweetwater, Tennessee. It closed in 1988. The buildings were later used by Tennessee Meiji Gakuin, a school intended for high...
, who recruited him out of high school after graduation. He received a full scholarship to the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
the next year. Following the graduation of Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
's two starting offensive guards, Harry Galbreath
Harry Galbreath
Harry Galbreath was an American football player. The 6-foot 1-inch 295-pound Galbreath attended the University of Tennessee and starred as an offensive guard for the Volunteers after graduating in 1983 from Clarksville High School.Galbreath played in every game of his four-year career as a...
and John Bruhin, Davis was expected to start for the Volunteers at left guard in 1988
1988 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 1988 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Volunteers offense scored 212 points while the defense allowed 286 points. At season's end, the Volunteers were not ranked in either of the major...
as a sophomore. An ankle injury suffered during the season-opener against Georgia
Georgia Bulldogs football
The Georgia Bulldogs football team represents the University of Georgia in football. The Bulldogs are a member of the Southeastern Conference and are frequently a top-25 team. The University of Georgia has had a football team since 1892 and has an all-time record of 738–398–54...
on September 3 caused him to miss the next four games, before he was able to return against Alabama
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
on October 15. Before the start of the 1989 season
1989 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 1989 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 1989 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Volunteers offense scored 346 points while the defense allowed 217 points...
, Davis was moved to right offensive tackle. He was named as a finalist for the Outland Trophy
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
in November 1990 as a senior, but lost out to defensive tackle Russell Maryland
Russell Maryland
Russell James Maryland is a former professional American football player. He played defensive tackle for ten seasons for the Dallas Cowboys, Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Cowboys first overall in the 1991 NFL Draft...
from Miami
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
. Davis earned consensus All-America honors
1990 College Football All-America Team
The 1990 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, United Press International, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, Scripps-Howard, The...
, receiving honors from the Football News, the Walter Camp Foundation, the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, the Newspaper Enterprise Association, and the United Press International
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
. He also earned All-SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
honors. Following the 1990 season
1990 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 1990 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 1990 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Volunteers offense scored 465 points while the defense allowed 220 points...
, Davis won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy
Jacobs Blocking Trophy
The Jacobs Blocking Trophy is the name of several similar annual college football awards bestowed by a conference upon their best blocker. The awards are named in honor of , the founder and president of Presbyterian College from 1935 to 1945. The trophies are awarded by his sons, Hugh and William...
in January 1991, as the best blocker in the SEC. He played in the Hula Bowl
Hula Bowl
The Hula Bowl was an independently administered post-season invitational college football game held each year in Hawaii from 1947 to 2008. The game was last played at Aloha Stadium in the Hālawa district of Honolulu, Hawaii. At one point the longest-running sporting event in Hawaii, it had been...
on January 18, 1991, for the East squad.
Davis earned the University of Tennessee's Chancellor Citation for his community service efforts during his college career, including his contributions with the "Just Say No
Just Say No
"Just Say No" was an advertising campaign, part of the U.S. "War on Drugs", prevalent during the 1980s and early 1990s, to discourage children from engaging in recreational drug use by offering various ways of saying no. Eventually, this also expanded the realm of "Just Say No" to violence and...
" campaign, the American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization" dedicated, in their own words, "to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and...
, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is a 501 non-profit organization whose mission is to help children reach their potential through professionally supported, one-to-one relationships with mentors that try to have a measurable impact on youth....
, and the Knoxville Community Parks Association. He graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in urban studies in December 1990.
1991 season
At the NFL Scouting Combine in February 1991, Davis arrived weighing 338 pounds (153.3 kg) (25 pounds (11.3 kg) overweight). He ran a 5.2-second 40 yard dash40 yard dash
The 40-yard dash is a sprint covering . It is primarily run to evaluate the speed of American football players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting. A player's recorded time in the 40 can have a heavy impact on his prospects in college or professional football...
, but received criticism for weight issues and his up-and-down personality. He had 26 repetitions in the bench press
Bench press
The bench press is an exercise of the upper body. For bodybuilding purposes, it is used to stimulate the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. While on his or her back, the person performing the bench press lowers a weight to the level of the chest, then pushes it back up until the arm is straight...
. Before the draft, analyst Mel Kiper, Jr.
Mel Kiper, Jr.
Mel Kiper Jr. in Baltimore, Maryland is an American football analyst for the ESPN television channel. He has served as an analyst for ESPN's annual NFL draft coverage since 1984, providing in-depth information on the nation's potential draft picks.-Career:With the emergence of ESPN2 and ESPN.com,...
said, "Davis has slipped a bit. He's still a Top 10 pick, but his recent workouts haven't been good." John Butler, the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
' director of player personnel said Davis was "a blueprint tackle, with size and everything else."
Davis was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
as the eighth overall selection in the 1991 NFL Draft
1991 NFL Draft
The 1991 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 21–22, 1991 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Manhattan, New York...
, one pick after former Tennessee teammate Charles McRae
Charles McRae
Charles McRae Charles McRae Charles McRae (born September 16, 1968 was a former offensive tackle drafted in the first round of the 1991 NFL Draft out of the University of Tennessee by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and was the first offensive player selected...
was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
. It was the first time in NFL history that two former college teammates who played the same position were drafted back-to-back. Davis was the first draft pick by new Eagles head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Rich Kotite
Rich Kotite
Richard Edward "Rich" Kotite is a former National Football League player and coach.-Playing career:Kotite was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was a tight end who played collegiately at Wagner College on Staten Island. Kotite was drafted in the 18th round of the 1965 NFL Draft by the Minnesota...
. The Eagles traded up from the 19th pick with the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
to select Davis, giving Green Bay the 19th selection (which was used on cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
Vinnie Clark
Vinnie Clark
Vincent Eugene Clark is a former American football cornerback in the NFL for the Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, and the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played college football at Ohio State University.In 2005, Clark was named an assistant coach for the Arena Football League team...
) and a first-round pick in the 1992 NFL Draft
1992 NFL Draft
The 1992 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 26–27, 1992. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft...
. The pick in 1992 ended up being the 17th selection, and the Packers traded it to the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
for quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
on February 10, 1992. The Falcons then traded the pick to the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
(who used it to select cornerback Kevin Smith
Kevin Smith (cornerback)
Kevin Rey Smith is a former professional American football player who played cornerback in the National Football League for nine seasons for the Dallas Cowboys.-High school career:...
) and received the 19th selection (used to select running back Tony Smith
Tony Smith (American football)
Tony Smith is a former professional American football player who played running back for three seasons for the Atlanta Falcons.Smith was chosen in the first-round in the 1992 NFL Draft...
) and a fourth round pick (used to select cornerback Frankie Smith).
After holding out for 21 days, Davis was signed initially to a contract designed as a temporary compromise in order to get him into training camp on August 5, 1991. It was speculated that the reason behind Davis' holdout and the temporary compromise was that Davis and his agent wanted to see what McRae, who also held out with the Buccaneers, signed for first. Davis was not allowed to practice with the team until he was under contract, thus the compromise contract enabled him to practice while still work to get a long-term deal done. The compromise was a one-year contract with an option for a second year, and Davis received $600,000 in signing the first contract. He was able to play against the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
in the Eagles' third preseason game on August 10. Davis was projected to be the Eagles' starting right offensive tackle for the 1991 season
1991 NFL season
The 1991 NFL season was the 72nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXVI when the Washington Redskins defeated the Buffalo Bills....
. Davis suffered a sprained ankle while running laps around JFK Stadium and tripping over a goal post support on August 19. Due to the injury, he was taken out of the preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
on August 23 at halftime by Kotite. The Eagles and Davis finalized a five-year contract worth $4.6 million on September 6 following the first week of the season. Davis changed his jersey number
Squad number
In team sports, the squad number, shirt number, jersey number, sweater number, uniform number or simply a number is the number worn on a player's uniform, to identify and distinguish each player from others wearing the same or similar uniforms...
from 77 to 78 after signing the contract. He had his best game of the season in week four against the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
on September 22, as Kotite called more run plays to the right side towards the end of the game. Davis had a key block on a Jim McMahon
Jim McMahon
James Robert "Jim" McMahon, Jr. is a former American football player. He played college football at Brigham Young University, where he was a two-time All-American and later in the professional ranks with the Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona...
quarterback sneak
Quarterback sneak
A quarterback sneak is a play in Canadian and American football in which the quarterback, upon taking the center snap, dives ahead while the offensive line surges forward...
touchdown and McMahon gave Davis the ball immediately after to spike
Spike (gridiron football)
In gridiron football, a spike of the ball is a play in which the quarterback intentionally throws the ball at the ground immediately after the snap...
in celebration. The Eagles were given a five-yard penalty for the spike. In a week five game against the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
on September 30, Davis gave up two sacks against defensive end Charles Mann, who received Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
honors after the season. Davis gave up a total of ten sacks in the first five games of the season.
Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in week six on October 6, Davis was benched in the third quarter after he was called for three holding penalties and was replaced by Bruce Collie
Bruce Collie
Bruce Stokes Collie is a former professional American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the San Francisco 49ers and the Philadelphia Eagles...
. Collie suffered a knee injury in his second play, and Davis re-entered the game. The day after the game, Kotite said about Davis: "He certainly played poorly yesterday without question. If you've got eyes you could see that." Ron Heller
Ron Heller
Ron Heller can refer to:*Ron Heller , American football offensive tackle who played in the NFL, 1984–1995*Ron Heller , American football tight end who played in the NFL, 1987–1992...
moved from left tackle to replace Davis at right tackle the next week against the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
. Daryle Smith
Daryle Smith
Daryle Ray Smith was an American football offensive tackle in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys in 1987 and 1988, the Cleveland Browns in 1989, and the Philadelphia Eagles from 1990 through 1992. He was born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee and played college football at the...
, after being waived in training camp, was re-signed to play left tackle. Due to a groin injury suffered by Smith, Davis regained his starting job at right tackle with Heller moving back to left tackle against the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
in week nine. Davis gave up two sacks against Charles Haley
Charles Haley
Charles Lewis Haley is a former American football linebacker and defensive end in the National Football League who played for the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys . He was drafted in the fourth round of the 1986 NFL Draft out of James Madison University...
in the game and was called for holding once, but Kotite said Davis improved from his previous start. Davis started in every game at right tackle after his benching in 1991. Kotite praised Davis after the Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
game on November 4, saying that he "played very well."
1992 season
Davis improved as a blocker in his second season with the Eagles. At the start of training camp in 19921992 NFL season
The 1992 NFL season was the 73rd regular season of the National Football League.Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew, the New England Patriots–Miami Dolphins game that was scheduled for September 6 at Joe Robbie Stadium was rescheduled to October 18. Both teams originally had that...
, Davis vowed to refuse all requests for interviews by the media in an attempt to focus on getting better. In the season-opener against the New Orleans Saints, Davis helped the Eagles lead the NFC in rushing for the week with 186 yards. Against the Washington Redskins in week seven on October 18, 1992, he suffered a knee sprain after being hit by quarterback Randall Cunningham
Randall Cunningham
Randall W. Cunningham is a former American football quarterback.After playing college football at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he was selected in the second round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, with whom he remained through the 1995 season...
. He was listed as doubtful before the following game against the Phoenix Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and did not play in the game. He was listed as doubtful again before the game against the Dallas Cowboys in week nine. Otho Davis
Otho Davis
Otho L. Davis was an football athletic trainer. He was the head athletic trainer for Kent State University from 1957-65. In 1965, he moved to Duke University for six seasons. In 1971, O joined the Baltimore Colts for two seasons, his first foray in the NFL.It was in Philadelphia, however, that...
, the team's head athletic trainer, said Davis was not working hard enough to rehabilitate his knee. Antone Davis was upgraded to questionable two days before the game, and started against the Cowboys on November 1. In the wild card playoff game against the Saints on January 3, 1993, Davis gave up a sack against Rickey Jackson
Rickey Jackson
Rickey Anderson Jackson is a former American football linebacker in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints and the San Francisco 49ers . In 1997, Jackson was inducted into the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame. Jackson won a Super Bowl ring with the 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX one year before retiring...
, which caused a Cunningham fumble. Davis started in all 15 games he played during the regular season, and started in both of the team's playoff games. Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly is an American sports magazine, founded in 1967, that covers the National Football League...
rated Davis as the 26th-best offensive tackle in the league for the season.
1993 season
Davis played through a shoulder injury early in the 1993 season. Defensive end Reggie WhiteReggie White
Reginald Howard "Reggie" White was a professional American football player. He played 15 seasons as a defensive end in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers, becoming one of the most decorated players in NFL history...
, who signed with the Green Bay Packers following the 1992 season after spending eight seasons with the Eagles and earned seven Pro Bowl selections, said that he believed he destroyed Davis' confidence as a rookie and second-year player, as Davis had to go up against White in practice every week. White said "there are some guys who get very discouraged because they can't block you. I think that was the situation at times with Antone." Davis, however, disputed White's statements as the Eagles played against the Packers in the second week of the season. Dave Goldberg, a writer for the Associated Press, named Davis to his "all-unsung" team after his performance against White. Davis started in every game for the Eagles at right tackle in 1993.
1994 season
With the Eagles pick of offensive tackle Bernard WilliamsBernard Williams (gridiron football)
Bennie Bernard Williams is a former American and Canadian football offensive tackle. Williams was the Eagles first round draft pick in the 1994 NFL Draft and started all 16 games for them in 1994, but was banned from the NFL after failing 15 drug tests...
in the first round of the 1994 NFL Draft
1994 NFL Draft
The 1994 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24-25, 1994. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
, Davis moved inside to play left offensive guard in the 1994 season
1994 NFL season
The 1994 NFL season was the 75th regular season of the National Football League. To honor the NFL's 75th season, a special anniversary logo was designed and each player wore a patch on their jerseys with this logo throughout the season...
. Davis was ejected from a week thirteen game against the Atlanta Falcons on November 27, along with Lester Holmes
Lester Holmes
Lester Holmes is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He played college football at Jackson State University and was drafted in the first round of the 1993 NFL Draft....
, for fighting on the field with defensive tackle Pierce Holt
Pierce Holt
Pierce Holt is an American former professional football player who was a defensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons from 1988 to 1995. He played collegiately at Angelo State University and was selected by the 49ers in the 2nd round of the 1988 NFL Draft...
of the Falcons. Davis was benched in favor of rookie Joe Panos
Joe Panos
Joe Panos is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills. After Brookfield East High School, he played college football at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he was captain of the 1994 Rose Bowl team...
before a week sixteen game against the New York Giants after committing seven penalties in his previous fourteen starts. Davis played in the final two games of the season. Head coach Rich Kotite was fired after the season.
1995 season
Under new coach Ray RhodesRay Rhodes
Raymond Earl Rhodes is currently a defensive assistant for the Cleveland Browns. He is also the former American football head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers. He is the former assistant defensive backs coach of the Houston Texans...
, Davis was moved back to right tackle. Rhodes said that after looking at the 1994 season's game footage, he determined Davis' "best position for [the Eagles] is at tackle." The Eagles signed former Packer Joe Sims
Joe Sims
Joseph Anthony Sims is a former professional American football player who played offensive lineman for five seasons for the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers....
on April 14, 1995, to compete with Davis for the starting right tackle job. The team reportedly tried to trade Davis in order to move up in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft
1995 NFL Draft
The 1995 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 22–23, 1995 at the Paramount Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City...
, but no team would take their offer. Due to left tackle Bernard Williams' six game suspension from the NFL, Sims moved over to the left, with Davis staying at right tackle before the preseason. However, due to his performance in training camp, Davis was benched before a preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on August 24, in favor of Lester Holmes. Holmes suffered a knee injury during the second week of the season and was replaced by Davis. Davis replaced him in week three against the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and started in the remaining thirteen games of the season and two playoff games thereafter. In a week fourteen game against the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
, Moe Elewonibi played in place of Davis for two series in a move, as Rhodes explained, aimed at giving reserve players experience in case of injury. Davis suffered a mild concussion in a wild card playoff game against the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
after he was kicked in the head. His rookie contract expired following the season and he was considered a draft bust after being taken in the first round in 1991.
Later career
Davis was not re-signed by the Eagles following the 1995 season and became an unrestricted free agent. He worked out for the Atlanta Falcons on April 25, 1996. After disagreeing on the terms of the contract, Davis signed with the Falcons on May 13 and agreed to a two-year contract worth $1.9 million. He began the season as a backup behind David RichardsDavid Richards (American football)
David Richards is a former professional American football guard who played nine seasons in the National Football League....
at right tackle. Davis started in place of the injured Richards for a week five game against the San Francisco 49ers on September 29. Richards came from his injury in week six, but he and Davis split playing time in weeks seven and eight against the Houston Oilers and Dallas Cowboys, respectively. Richards was waived on October 23 by the Falcons, who decided to go with Davis at right tackle for the remainder of the year. Davis suffered a right ankle sprain in a week sixteen game against the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
on December 15.
The Falcons proposed a restructured contract to Davis, reportedly worth $3 million for three years in March 1997. After starting the first three games at right tackle, Davis was benched in favor of backup Matt Willig
Matt Willig
Matthew Joseph "Matt" Willig is an American actor and former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League. He stands 6 feet, 8 inches .-Acting:...
on September 18. Davis did not play in the remaining thirteen games of the season, and was waived by the team on February 11, 1998.
The Green Bay Packers signed Davis on January 22, 1999, reuniting him with new Packers coach Ray Rhodes. His tenure with the Packers was short-lived, however, as Green Bay released him in June.
Davis finished his seven-year NFL career with 87 starts in 97 games and recovered a fumble in 1997.
After football
Davis owned a restaurant called "Gridiron Grill" in Clermont, FloridaClermont, Florida
Clermont is a city in Lake County, Florida, United States, west of Orlando. The population was 13,100 in 2008. The city is essentially residential in character and its economy is centered in retail trade, lodging, and food and beverage establishments, which are tourism oriented. The historic...
, for a short time after his career ended. He currently works as a manager of a Chili's
Chili's
Chili's Grill & Bar is a restaurant chain founded by Larry Lavine. The chain has more than 1400 casual dining restaurants, mostly located in the United States and Canada...
restaurant. He is married with four children and resides in Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro is a city in and the county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 108,755 according to the United States Census Bureau's 2010 U.S. Census, up from 68,816 residents certified during the 2000 census. The center of population of Tennessee is located in...
.
Davis is a contestant on the twelfth season
The Biggest Loser: Battle of the Ages
The Biggest Loser: Battle of the Ages is the twelfth season of the NBC reality television series entitled The Biggest Loser. The contestants competed to win a $250,000 prize. It premiered on September 20, 2011. Along with existing trainer Bob Harper , two new trainers will join this season...
of The Biggest Loser, which began airing in 2011. He struggled with his weight after his football career ended, and he weighed 476 pounds (215.9 kg) before he decided to go on The Biggest Loser. He began the show weighing 447 pounds (202.8 kg).