Vernon Davis embracing life after football with Smart Picks, acting, new rap album

Most know Vernon Davis as a two-time Pro Bowl tight end. Davis hung up his football cleats in a unique way, announcing his retirement in a commercial during Super Bowl LIV in 2020. Now, the former NFL star focuses on life after football.

Davis has transitioned into acting, appearing in several movies, including this year’s release The Ritual Killer.

He’s also an entrepreneur, launching an AI-powered sports pick platform, and he just released a rap album, Showtime.

Vernon Davis recently chatted with me at D.C. Sports King about embracing his new paths after football.

For a generation, Davis was a DMV legend on the gridiron, starring at Dunbar High School in Washington, D.C., then at the University of Maryland before an NFL career that included ten seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, a Super Bowl ring with the Denver Broncos, and a culmination playing for his hometown Washington team.

But now Davis is starring on the big screen. While with Washington, Davis’s acting career leaped with a role in Hell on the Border in 2019. Since retiring from football, his acting career has evolved.

Davis will be on the big screen in September in the Freshman Year sequel, Senior Year: Love Never Fails, starring Diallo Thompson and Natalia Dominguez.

Davis will play the college coach of Thompson’s character, C.J., in the romance drama.

“Love Never Fails is a great, great movie,” Davis said. “It’s all about love. It’s about desire, and intent. It’s about compassion. I love the movie. I think it’s gonna be an awesome film when it comes out, and I’m looking forward to it.”

Davis also looks forward to another upcoming project, 72 Hours, starring Sam Trammell.

“I thought The Ritual Killer was one of my best performances, but I think in this movie, I performed really, really well. It’s a solid cast, solid performances, and I can’t wait for you guys to see it. I also have my music in this movie as well,” Davis added.

As for his music? Davis is rapping in addition to acting. I asked him what led to him getting into rap.

“Well, I’m a poet,” Davis answered. “Once I discovered that I could write poetry, I started putting instrumentals behind my words and just coming up with a creative flow and creativity to the actual music itself. I fell in love with it.”

He recently released a new rap album, Showtime, produced by Tone P. The album is available on all platforms under his rap name, Vern.

“It’s a wonderful album. A lot of this album comes from some of my experiences in life that I went through. And Tone P was really an integral piece to putting the album together. I think it’s really well done, especially for me being a rookie in the game of rapping. I think I did a great job but can always do better,” Davis said.

Davis remains connected to football through another avenue. He’s backing a subscription-based AI-powered sports betting platform called Smart Picks. 

“Smart Picks is very, very disruptive in a way,” Davis explained. “And I say that because it’s something unlike any other. It’s something we haven’t seen. And I think it gives our people who love to bet. It gives them a great predictive outcome.

“It’s all about outcomes,” he continued. “It’s [uses] over 150 factors that go into it. And I think Paul Van Kleef, Josh Webb, and Henry Penzi did a wonderful job streamlining this thing, getting a great infrastructure, and giving the people something that they’ll love, and something that can be around for a very, very long time. I look forward to seeing some of the feedback that people are giving. But it’s definitely a way for our people who love to bet to leverage better.”

Smart Picks will predict games for football during the 2023 NFL season. However, there are plans to include other leagues and sports “very soon.”

Given Davis played four seasons for his hometown Washington Commanders. Couldn’t have a talk without asking him about his first impression of the team’s new ownership group.

“My first impression is Josh Harris, those guys, Magic Johnson, how they all believe in the fans believe in family,” Davis answered. “They believe they have all of the essential tools to be able to make this team great. It’s always the little things, and the little things always go back to the fans and go back to the community. And they know that. They understand that. That’s what I love about these guys.”

Vernon Davis walked away from football with no regrets. He is not looking back, but forward towards the second phase of his professional career. It’s a career packed with various ways to showcase his working transition.