&sq=&lang=&file=File:Wade_Davis_(81836).jpg) Wade Davis speaking at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival | |
| No. 23, 25, 42, 36 | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Cornerback |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | July 28, 1977 Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight: | 180 lb (82 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Overland (Aurora, Colorado) |
| College: |
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| Undrafted: | 2000 |
| Career history | |
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| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Wade Alan Davis II (born July 28, 1977)[1] is an American speaker, activist, writer, educator and former American football player.
Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Davis grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana and Aurora, Colorado. He played college football at Mesa State and Weber State. In 2000, Davis signed with the Tennessee Titans of the NFL as an undrafted free agent but was cut after the preseason. He made his professional debut in 2001 with the NFL Europe team Berlin Thunder and won the World Bowl IX title with the Thunder. After spending the 2001 preseason with the NFL's Seattle Seahawks, Davis again played the 2002 regular season in the NFL Europe with the Barcelona Dragons. He then participated in training camps and preseasons with the Tennessee Titans in 2002 and Washington Redskins in 2003 before retiring due to injury. After leaving the NFL, Davis became the captain of National Gay Flag Football League, the New York Warriors.
In 2012, Davis came out, publicly speaking about what it was like to be closeted and gay in the NFL.[2][3][4]
Davis is the former executive director and former director of professional sports outreach for the You Can Play project, an advocacy organization working to eradicate homophobia in professional sports. During his time at the You Can Play project, Davis developed curriculum, programming, training, and facilitated conversations focused on inclusion, equality, equity, and diversity. He formerly worked at the Hetrick-Martin Institute in New York City, New York, as the Assistant Director of Job Readiness, where he helped LGBTQ youth learn practical life skills and how to apply them.
Davis has been invited to keynote and present workshops at colleges, universities, and corporations around the globe. Davis has used his platform as an athlete to become an advocate for positive change through his workshops, keynotes, panel presentations, interviews, and writings.[5][6][7]
- ^ "Wade Davis biography". Tennessee Titans. Archived from the original on June 21, 2002.
- ^ Zeigler Jr., Cyd (June 5, 2012). "Wade Davis Talks for the First Time About Being Gay, Working with LGBT Youth" Archived January 17, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Outsports. Retrieved January 13, 2012.
- ^ Staff (June 7, 2012). "Gay NFL Player Wade Davis Kept Secret, Feared Locker Room Impact" Archived June 10, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Associated Press (via AOL Sports). Retrieved January 13, 2013.
- ^ Smith, Stephen (June 6, 2012). "Former NFL Player Wade Davis I Went to Strip Club to Hide from Being Gay". CBS News. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
- ^ Penn State News, Athletics to host discussion on You Can Play, inclusion in sports, October 23, 2014.
- ^ Samantha Neuber, Stanford Cal Athletes Unite for LGBT Inclusion Event, Stanford Daily, January 30, 2014.
- ^ The Huffington Post, Wade Davis II.