Vernon Davis

Vernon Davis is a former professional football player who was selected sixth overall in the first round of the 2006 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers. His athletic prowess was evident early on: he set school strength records for a tight end at the University of Maryland in 2005, and was a consensus All-American and All-Atlantic Coast Conference first-team selection that same year. Davis's NFL career was marked by numerous milestones, including recording his first NFL reception as a 31-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Alex Smith in 2006, tying the all-time record for most touchdown receptions for a tight end in a single season with 13 in 2009, and winning his first Super Bowl championship with the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50. In 2020, Davis announced his retirement via a Fox NFL skit prior to Super Bowl LIV.

In addition to his football career, Davis has also made a name for himself in the world of fine arts and interior design. He founded Modern Class Design (MCD), a full-service fine arts and interior design company, and opened Gallery 85, an art gallery that supports new and emerging artists. Davis's artistic talents have also crossed over into the world of television, where he has served as a judge on ABC's "BattleBots" in its second season, hosted the reunion and behind-the-scenes special for MTV's "The Challenge: Total Madness" in July 2020, and served as a judge for Season 1 of "Domino Masters" on Fox in March and April 2022. In 2025, he launched his podcast "The Next Role with Vernon Davis."

Off the field and outside the studio, Davis is an active entrepreneur and investor across various industries. He owns a chain of Jamba Juice franchises, co-developed Gloriana, a luxury townhouse project in Washington, D.C., and is a minority owner of DC Power FC, a women’s soccer team in the USL Super League. Davis is also a brand ambassador and investor in JAXJOX, a smart home fitness startup, and joined the ownership group of the Brisbane Bullets, a basketball team in Australia’s National Basketball League.