PackerDraft.com

Interview with Rob Davis
September 27, 2001

One of the more interesting people I’ve met through the site is sports agent Kevin Gold. He represents several NFL players, some of which are specialists in long-snapping. His web site, http://www.longsnap.com/, includes bios on current long-snapping specialists as well as some interesting articles on the art of snapping.

Not surprisingly, Kevin is the representative for the Packers’ snapping stalwart Rob Davis. Davis is a six-year veteran of the NFL, with brief stops in New York (Jets) and Kansas City before sticking with Chicago in 1996. He became a Packer during the 1997 season after trade acquisition Paul Frase was lost to injury.

Davis attended Division II Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania, where he played defensive tackle against schools like Slippery Rock and Kutztown. He was also a defensive lineman and long-snapper for the Canadian Football League’s Baltimore Stallions in 1995.

Since joining the Packers, Davis has been a strong presence on special teams. “Number 60” been extremely reliable in his punt and field goal snapping duties, aiding kicker Ryan Longwell’s aspiration to be the most accurate kicker in NFL history. Davis also made eight tackles on returns and a fumble recovery over the past two seasons. He added another fumble recovery against the Oakland Raiders in the Packers’ last pre-season game this year.

Originally this interview was scheduled to happen on September 11, 2001. Obviously the tragic events of that day caused much of the nation’s business to grind to a halt. 

I'm glad we managed to re-schedule the interview for a later date. Rob Davis is a thoughtful man who would be just as happy working with inner-city youths or being a men's clothier as he is playing football. It was my pleasure to speak with him...I'm quite sure you'll enjoy his comments as well.

Q&A with Green Bay Packer Rob Davis:

Rob, thanks for taking the time today to answer some questions. First of all, could you describe how you and the other players felt during the week following the September 11^th tragedy? Was it anger, horror or sympathy, or all three?

I think it was a little bit of everything, to be honest. I think (Washington Redskin corner) Darrell Green put it best with one of his quotes, “the same fears you guys go through, we go through.” I think a lot of times people think that football players are immortal or we’re tough guys…if you cut us, we bleed the way you would. So I think the whole country had a similar feeling…and I think it continues to be that way.

Did you and the other guys try to build off of the crowd last Monday night against the Redskins? I attended the game and the place was pretty thick with emotion-I mean, the chants of “U.S.A.” must have been pretty loud under the stadium…

I think the whole evening was emotional. Obviously this was a national game, and coming off that ugly September 11^th, this was the first game that took place since then. I think everyone fed off of the whole thing. 

Our preparation was where it needed to be. I don’t know if the extra time hurt us, but we did have a chance to get some injuries right and we were just able to come out and play. The first half was sort of touch-and-go, but in the second half our personality took over--we capitalized on some of their mistakes and did the things we need to do.

You guys certainly played with a lot of heart. Has the confidence of this team skyrocketed after being its first two opponents so soundly?

Well, we don’t want to put the buggy in front of the horse. Obviously this isn’t a two game race…this is a 16 game race. Mike Sherman’s been real good about trying to keep us grounded and take it one game at a time. I think a lot of times when you don’t have a team full of superstars, guys strive a little bit more. We don’t have as many (superstars) as we did when we were going to the Super Bowl, but we have a lot of role players who are playing their roles to the best of their ability right now.

I bet you are happy to just be on the team this year… I’m thinking that the final cut day is tough for all long-snapping specialists, especially with the injuries and overload at WR and RB the Packers had this year. Were you nervous, anxious, or pretty confident that your job was safe? 

Every year it gets tougher and tougher. I’ve been fortunate to make it this far…I just try to take it one game at a time. I never know when this thing is going to end. I always try to prepare myself (for life after football)...I have a lot of things going other than football. I went to a college where no one had ever went to the NFL…I went to college to get a degree. I have excellent connections for when this thing ends, so hopefully I’ll just roll into another profession when its over.  

I’ve never been too confident when it comes to making this team. Maybe its my past in the NFL-being cut a few times, coming from a small school. I’m very humbled about the whole situation. There was a concern, but I think coaches around the league are starting to understand that there is a need for a guy to do what we do. It may be not as much as an armchair quarterback says we should, but a true football person knows that (long snapping) can win or lose games for you.

This off-season you signed a multi-year deal with the Packers, even though other teams may have paid you slightly more. Should we take that, at least partially, as a reflection on the Green Bay Packers organization? Does your staying in Green Bay also have something to do with the community of Green Bay itself? That town is more than a little different than most NFL cities…

It was a situation where I wanted to be here. There were other teams that offered more in terms of a signing bonus. Typically my position is a career minimum salary, so it wasn’t like another team was offering me millions more to go there. And I’ve been okay with that because with a criminal justice degree, even if I’m one of the top lawyers in the country I don’t think I could make what I do playing football.  It was never really a money issue with me…I wanted to be with the Packers. Negotiations are negotations…its the duty of the agent to get you as much as he can. The market value was slightly more than what the Packers would pay me, but I was okay with that. 

It was a reflection of a lot of guys that stayed here, even though this past year they had opportunities to go elsewhere. These jobs aren’t easy to come by. I’m not a marquis player…never have been, never will be. Were there some other opportunities? Of course, but I wanted to stay a Packer. This is my fifth year, and I was comfortable with the organization and they had a certain comfort level with me and what I would bring to the table both on and off the field. It was just a perfect fit for me.

I don’t believe that people hear enough about the off-field things athletes do for the community… Is that sort of work just as fulfilling to you as football?

Sometimes people just concentrate on what goes on on Sunday. They don’t know that players offer time and money to a lot of different events. Over the past few years I’ve spoken at several functions…one of the bigger ones was for the Anti-Defamation League, where I was the keynote speaker. I’ve gone to different places around the state…not necessarily to talk about football. I’d much rather talk to you about life skills than football because I think I’m more qualified to speak about those, coming from the inner city in D.C. and going through some of the hardships that I had to go through to make it to this level. My message is usually just trying to show an appreciation of what I have now by showing people what I had to go through to get there. Football is 50% talent, 50% luck…there’s a lot of guys walking on the streets that could be in the position we are. We were just lucky enough to get the opportunity and capitalize on it.

Back to the field now. I know you are self-taught at long-snapping…how, why and when exactly did you decide to get into that?

When I was in high school, I played one year of varsity…we had an assistant coach there who had played for the Redskins. I didn’t know much about the whole art of long-snapping, it just was that we needed somebody to do it and it sort of came naturally. If you would have told me that I would do this as a job…at 16 years old, I really didn’t think about that. Of course, at that age everybody wants to be a star…not that I’ve never been. (laugh) It was just one of things… As I have said so many times, I am truly blessed to be at this level. I went to school as a walk-on, we only had four thousand students and not a great football history. So for me to be at this point at my career is just a blessing.

Tell me one thing that most football fans might not understand about long-snapping…

Its not as easy as they think it is (laughs again)…its not as easy as they think it is. Anybody can throw a football 8 or 10 yards…but ask them to throw it upside-down with their head between their legs, it becomes a bit more difficult. What people should understand when they see those guys (snapping) on Sunday is that there’s a lot that goes into that--a lot of things have to happen right.

I watched you warm up before the game on Monday night. I don't think most people really pay attention to just how far you have to snap that ball and how quickly it gets there…you can't really see that on television. 

Most people don’t…most people don’t.  I’ve never tried to make any rhyme or reason about how people feel about the position I play. I’m a quiet guy, I guess you could say. I take it for what’s it worth, and I’d like to leave this game the way I came in—quietly.

The Packers have three games in December this year…does inclimate weather affect your ability to accurately snap the ball?

It can get windy or whatever, but like everyone else on the field, they expect (the job) to get done. That’s the bottom line, so I really can’t worry too much about the weather. I’ve done it in this weather for the past four years, and in Chicago and in the Canadian League.

Now that you’ve gained a reputation as a proficient return coverage specialist, have you noticed teams paying more attention to blocking you?

Sometimes…but obviously when I’m out there I’m the heaviest guy. So do you block me at 285-290 or K.D. Williams at 240? I think its just an extra threat that they have to account for and hopefully it gives us somewhat of an advantage. My job is not to let them catch the ball and run straight up the middle of the field. If I can’t make the play, I try to flush them out to some other guys.

Tell me about working with Ryan Longwell, Josh Bidwell, Doug Pederson and Special Teams coach Frank Novak…is it nice having some stability in the special teams units for once?

I think that’s more of a concern for Ryan. This is my third or fourth punter…I’ve had Hentrich, Sean Lendeta, Bidwell, and Louis Aguiar. Its’ okay..I don’t really say much, I just try to go out there and do my job to the best of my abilities. 

Obviously its nice to see Ryan achieve the success that he’s achieved thus far in his career, and its nice to be a part of that. I got here in game seven of his rookie year, so I’ve been with him through this whole stretch run. Ryan and I have been here the longest, but I think Josh has a bright future.

According to Shippenburg University’s web site, you are the co-owner of both the record for sacks in a single-season (10) and career tackles for loss (34). Do you miss playing every down? Have you tried to talk Coach Sherman and/or Coach Franklin into getting you back on the D-line, especially with the injury problems that the team has had this year?

I really do miss playing defensive line. I went to Coach Mike at the start of the season because we do trivia to see who gets an extra hour during curfew...they asked who holds the single season record for sacks at their school? And they put me, Vonnie, Santana and another guy up there--and nobody picked me. 

I don’t think a lot of people even know that I was an All-American candidate at defensive line. It get tough sometimes because I wonder “at almost 33, do I still have it?” Who knows? I did ask if I can play one down at defensive line at least before I retire. (Coach Sherman) said he’d think about it if we were blowing someone out.

We don’t get to hear much about the Packers’ scout team…do you get to play a role there? 

I do some scout team work…when I first got here I do a lot more than I do now because we have some defensive lineman on the practice squad. It makes it sort of hard for me to get out there, but every chance I get I try to get out there and show those guys a good look. 

Does anyone mistake you for a Warren Sapp or John Randle? 

(laugh) No, no...they know who I am…

You are certainly one of the more unheralded players on the Packers. Are there any other players on the team that don’t get enough print?

There’s a lot of guys…I’ve been real impressed with David Martin. He’s going to be a great player in this league—he’s young and fast. In due time, we’ll all get the pub that we want…I’ve never been a big pub guy, so…I really don’t read the papers.

I've always wondered how much players read the papers or listen to sports talk radio... 

Ya know, in this business…sometimes it can be a little cruel. I think that sometimes they forget that we’re human, too. To wake up and read some of the things that a guy who’s never played a down of football, not even at the high school level…you have thousands and thousands of people who take it at face value, even though they don’t know you. 

People think we live this wild and crazy lifestyle, and its real fast…it’s not like that. We have to be there at 8:15, we get out of there at 4:30-5:00. Most guys just go home and watch TV…that’s pretty much it.

Have you had any thoughts about what you want to do after football? I’ve read your Pro Snapping Tips on http://www.longsnap.com/ …maybe you would like to get into journalism? Or get into the television studio--you definitely could be better than ESPN's Mark Schlereth!

Mark Schlereth is a long-time veteran of this league. They tend to give those gigs to big name players...not that I couldn't do just as good a job as anyone else...

I have a lot of opportunities when I’m done with football… I intern here in Green Bay in Player Programs, both on the pro and on the college level. On the college level, they’re called life skills counselors. We basically work with athletes, giving them someone to turn to. If you are a player that is coming to the pros, maybe I could give you some insight on how you should conduct yourself or maybe at one point you’re trying to obtain your degree... I know a lot of Division I schools use that, and that’s something that has interested me. I have a good friend that really wants me to become a stock broker…I don’t know if that’s my calling, but…I haven’t ruled out owning my own business. Eventually I’d like to open up a nice men’s clothing store.

Well, I’ve taken enough of your time. Do you have any last words for any Packer fans reading this interview?

Wish us good luck!

Questions or Comments? Mail 'em to packerdraft@yahoo.com