Vernon Davis: “I felt like I was a warrior for going out there even though I was banged up really bad.”

SANTA CLARA — Vernon Davis was interviewed next to his locker Thursday afternoon. Here’s a transcript.

Q: Did the Bye week come at the right time for you?

VERNON DAVIS: I think the Bye week was a great opportunity for me to work on some things and try to get healthy.

Q: How is your health?

VERNON DAVIS: I feel good, I feel good. Of course with injuries, they’re always lingering around. But, for the most part, I feel pretty good. I feel like I can do a lot of things well at the moment.

Q: Hurdle defenders?

VERNON DAVIS: Possibly.

Q: For your standards, your numbers are way down. Obviously, you missed a couple of games. Has that been frustrating?

VERNON DAVIS: Whenever you set goals for yourself and you can’t reach them because of some injury or something weird happens, it’s always frustrating. But the thing that I can take from it is there are always trials and adversity that you have to face. You can learn and grow from it if you approach it the right way. I’m just thankful to be here and thankful that I get another opportunity to perform again on Sunday.

Q: Did you get a chance to check out Marcus Lattimore in practice yesterday?

VERNON DAVIS: You know what, I had a chance to see him in warmups after practice. He looked really, really good. Very impressed on his ability to go out there and do some of the things he did yesterday. He looks explosive, quick. Looks like Marcus Lattimore.

Q: Did you follow his college career?

VERNON DAVIS: I saw some highlights on him. I didn’t really follow him but I saw some highlights and I know what he can bring to the table.

Q: The Rams traded for safety Mark Barron. How does that change your preparation?

VERNON DAVIS: I know in our room, as far as tight ends, we try to break down every player. Vance McDonald might get a guy, and he’ll share with us and we’ll take notes on him. I will have my guy and I’ll share with the rest of the group. And that’s the way we do it. We bring it together collectively and there’s some information based on due diligence that we were able to come up with.

Q: Now that you’re feeling healthy again, do you want to reestablish yourself as a big downfield threat? Are you healthy enough to do that?

VERNON DAVIS: I definitely feel healthy enough to be able to run. It’s all about getting out there and just going. Not thinking. Just reacting and just playing the game of football. I think the last couple games I’ve just been thinking so much, worried about the injury, cloudy mind. It’s tough. To me, I felt like I was a warrior for going out there even though I was banged up really bad. I will do whatever it takes to help my teammates win, just being out there, blocking for Frank, running downfield being a decoy, whatever it is, I’ll do it.

Q: Whose responsibility is it to come up with a scouting report on Mark Barron?

VERNON DAVIS: Um…

Q: Was it you?

VERNON DAVIS: No, not me. I’m not sure, I’m not sure. I don’t think anyone had him. I think Coach Mangini probably will break him down and share him with the rest of us.

This article has 13 Comments

  1. Don’t worry, Vernon … just go out there ..
    and play your heart out !

    All is forgiven .. ;-}

  2. I’m more convinced than ever that VD has never tanked or quit on his team. It’s obvious that Vernon has not been himself lately, but again that only applies to his route running and receiving. His blocking has been a little less then stellar but its not because of lack of effort but rather having to do with injuries.

    When VD is healthy so is our offense, and this goes back to pre-Kaep. I’m looking forward to a great second half season for Vernon.
    If VD has in fact been playing with nagging injuries than I don’t have a problem with his warrior description.

    1. Yer wrong … E …

      (that’s just a nasty rumor started by one of our
      less fortunate trolls)

    2. Yeah, well, maybe I’ll believe that when Davis changes his name to something like Mr. Everything, lol.

    3. Yeah. He was really pouting last season when the offense inexplicably forgot about him. Wasn’t he, E?

  3. MWNiner; If he is your guy I feel sorry for you. His mouth is his own worst enemy when it comes to his public image. He pretty much hurt himself with his statement about protecting his brand and then compounded his mistake by prematurely announcing that he would return to camp for the regular long before he had to. His agents were probably pulling out their collective hair.

    I had posted in a previous thread that I suspected that his problem was a lack of concentration and focus. What the reason was for that lack of focus was up for speculation. One that was suggested before that he was p!ssed off because he didn’t get a new contract so he was tanking. While I once thought this might be possible, his statement makes that highly unlikely. In that other thread I also mentioned that different people had different interpretations about what tanking meant. To some it might mean playing badly on purpose. While to others it just meant not giving his best effort. I am now convinced that he at least believes it’s his best effort.

    He see’s himself as a warrior because he went out and ran routes and blocked even though he was banged up. I guess some people have a low standard for what a warrior is. He admits that his mental focus was off ( cloudy mind ) because he was too concerned about injury. I had mentioned in the last thread that his focus was off, but now we now the reason. He was afraid to get hurt. He stated he would do what it took to help his team -then mentioned what. Blocking for Frank and running down field as a DECOY. Just don’t throw him the ball because then someone might hit him. Explains what was clouding his mind when those passes came to him. What a warrior. He would have been better off having people believe he was selfish and tanking.

    It appears his own statements validate the perspective of those that have accused him of being soft. Hit him and hurt him and you take him out for much longer than any physical effect of the hit. The dude qualifies as a big wuss. But he is what he is and is doing the best he actually can. But being a warrior or having heart like Prime stated in the last thread- don’t be ridiculous. Although it appears that this society has been wussified to such a degree that any small act of decency is interpreted as being heroic.

    1. We’ve got the 2nd half of the season in front of us, Will ..
      Let’s just see how he does .. ok ?

      I’m not ready to give up on him just yet

  4. I’m with you on that MW.
    I don’t believe you toss out a player that has been successful over his career based on one less than staller half season.

    I feel that the offense has shifted a bit away from the TE because of so many weapons and the fact that VD has had a bad back has also limited his chances.
    Right now, VD just has to get healthy and make the best of his limited opportunities.

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