Narrator: 0:10

Welcome to the athletes in motion podcast from race to recovery. With your hosts, Tom Regal and Kenny Bailey.

Tom Regal: 0:28

Hey, Kenny.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 0:29

Hey, Tom, how are you? I'm fantastic. How are you? Today? I'm doing well. We have our guest days Keionta Davis Keionta Hey, welcome.

Keionta Davis: 0:35

Hey how are you doing? Thanks for having me.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 0:37

Keionta is a former NFL player with the Patriots three years.

Tom Regal: 0:40

Go Pats!

Kenny Bailey<br>: 0:41

and is currently a real estate agent with

Keionta Davis: 0:44

Zeitlin Sotheby's International Realty.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 0:46

Thank you because I wasn't gonna be able to say that. So we appreciate you coming on.

Keionta Davis: 0:49

Appreciate you having me.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 0:51

Want to talk a little about kind of, you know, obviously, you know, cool career playing for the Patriots all that kind of thing. But I think when you and I talked last time, I wanted to what cracked me up is so for people that you can't see him, you're What are you 6' 6" now? 6' 5"?

Keionta Davis: 1:08

I'm 6' 4" Yeah.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 1:13

Now you're telling me a 38 inch vertical? Yes sir. and you running a 4.8 (40 yard dash)

Keionta Davis: 1:17

4.7

Kenny Bailey<br>: 1:18

Sorry! Yeah, sorry. And the reason why I say that is because, I mean, you said you were a scrawny kid growing up how what the hell happened?

Keionta Davis: 1:28

I don't know. Really, I really don't know. It went from being I told you. I mean, I wasn't small. But I was just super lanky. Like I was 6'1", 185lbs as a freshman in high school. I was like, stick. Yeah. And then, every year I grew inch, and like, again, like 10-15 pounds, like, that continued all the way until I got to college. And then it was just like, I was just gaining muscle muscle muscle. And then next thing I know, it's like 280. And then I was still like, as athletic as I was when I was like 220

Kenny Bailey<br>: 2:00

it was that a family gene thing? Or was that just damn lucky?

Keionta Davis: 2:04

I think all my my brothers and all my siblings are pretty athletic. So I think it's just one of those things where I think we got it from my granddad. So

Kenny Bailey<br>: 2:11

okay, so you were playing basketball, though a little bit beforehand, and then you moved into football, or were you always playing football?

Keionta Davis: 2:19

I always played football. Growing up when I was growing up Chattanooga, I started off with baseball, actually, when I was super

Kenny Bailey<br>: 2:27

Oh, no kidding.

Keionta Davis: 2:28

Yeah, started with baseball. And I was really good at baseball.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 2:30

Which position?

Keionta Davis: 2:31

I play every position I play every outfield I played. First base, third base. That was mostly what I played.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 2:37

So you were the Bo Jackson of Chattanooga.....

Keionta Davis: 2:39

I guess. Yeah. I was really good at it. And I told my mom one day, I was like, this is a little too slow for me.

Tom Regal: 2:46

I want to hit people(laughing)

Keionta Davis: 2:47

I want to do something different. So tackle. I remember, I was seven years old. And I went out to my first like football practice. And I came home crying. I didn't like it. I was like people yelling at me. It was hot outside so I was like I don't this is for me, so I continue playing baseball until I was about nine. And then my my youngest, not my youngest, my brother right under me. He was always like the best player, everything we played on like, and I tell people all the time, that's my favorite athlete to watch. Like, that's me going to see my little brother like it was. I knew he was gonna do something amazing every time.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 3:20

That's cool.

Keionta Davis: 3:20

So, um, so he was definitely my inspiration to playing football because I would go watch him all the time. I was like, Okay, I can't let him be the only one. You know, playing football, if you can do it, I can do it. So I started playing football and I was like, nine. And I played. It's crazy because I didn't play a lot of football play until I was like 11. And then I didn't play in middle school. And I only played one year of my freshman year and I played my junior year of high school. That played for four and a half years of college. Yeah, so I don't have a like, I wasn't like one of those people who played stuff like five years old all the way through.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 3:52

Yeah, that's what I'm that's what he's getting that it's like it's not like your dad was the head coach of a storied high school team. And you've been, you know, prepped your whole life to do this. It was something How did you know I guess? You know what high school like okay, this is this is kind of legit, or was it in college when, like, at what point did you know like this? Is it like, this is what I want to do? Or did you just sort of

Keionta Davis: 4:16

it kind of just fell upon me honestly, um, I was like, I was one of those people who didn't know understand my athleticism and like the type of player I could be. Luckily, I had people in my life coaches and other figures in my life who kind of saw it in me and pushed me to be certain situations. So like I said, like, in high school, I was just doing it just to do it. Because my friends were doing it. My freshman year, I played six foot one 185 I played safety and receiver. So I was out and then I wanted to play basketball my sophomore year. I didn't make the team my sophomore year, so I didn't play football and then my head coach Tim Daniels, who passed away a couple years ago, but that's, that's my guy like really helped me. That's that's the guy who really helped me like get to the next level and understand and he said, Look, come back in the spring, we're gonna get you on team that you work about. At this time, you know, I went from probably like 6' 2" 200 pounds, like 6' 2" 217 to 220.

Tom Regal: 5:16

Wow.

Keionta Davis: 5:16

So that's, that's what's working out last week was a big difference. Yeah. And he played he pushed me to be, you know, a player displaying. And I didn't really understand until one day he called me and offered us like a, this was my junior year he was like, hey, so Tennessee State is coming to look at one of my plate like one of our teammates. He was like, but they also come look at you too. I was like what like, and this I didn't understand like, scholarships and go to college or football. I understand it because I was just playing just to play like, and then at that moment, I told my mom and it was just like, kind of like, life changing for me just because it was a realization that I can actually do something with it. And I can actually, you know, change my life would change the people around me my foot. So then I you know, saying like it college became a reality without having to, you know, pay for it. Yeah. The best way. Yeah, exactly. So, that was that and like I told you, but that's when things started pick up from that point on. Like, I start getting letters in the mail, starting things and I picked up I started playing basketball. I was doing basketball football track. My junior year, always wanted to move up to my senior year and my summer, the summer right before my senior year. I had three separate injuries. three separate injuries. I had, I was in a basketball tournament. I bruise money. Kind of bad. It wasn't terrible. I didn't go to the doctor for I was like, no way. I'll be fine. I'm just gonna rest it. I'm not gonna miss my senior care plan. Went to a seven or seven. The last warm up throw in for a fade to catch the ball turned on like tweaked my knee. I was like maybe you tore your meniscus. And I was like, Alright, just rested. I'm still gonna play you know. So like a week before our first scrimmage against McCauley, who was just one of the best like private schools and yeah, in Chattanooga. Probably a tendency. I was going just like the last player practice, I'm going to block a linebacker who's like shooting gap was my tight end. And I went to turn and I need to get it just it just went like caved in. And that was ACL. Oh, man. Yeah. So So I ended up missing my whole senior due to ACL tear, bone bruise and meniscus tear.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 7:33

Yeah, so kids, yeah. When it when it when it hurts?

Keionta Davis: 7:37

Yeah, definitely

Kenny Bailey<br>: 7:38

do some of that. Well, I mean, but it's an interesting thing, right? I mean, you. I mean, the pressure. Let me ask you the question, was there pressure at that point in your senior year? Like, look, you know, this is going to decide whether I go to college or don't go to college? I can't just like sit it out, right? Because you went from, like, not even sure that college was a was an opportunity. And now college became a real opportunity, you know, hurt and he's not going to stop that. Right. I mean, that's kind of the mindset.

Keionta Davis: 8:05

Yeah, I think that the my pride definitely kind of blinded me. And it was kind of one of situations where I didn't have anybody to say, hey, you need to chill out. Yeah. And not saying that people wasn't there for me, but it's just like, people didn't experience those type situations or didn't understand those situations. So. And like I said, For me, it was just like, I've always been like the big brother and had that responsibility and leadership role, like, like, pushed on me, like, even times where I didn't want it. So it was kind of like, lead by example. I can't let this stop me. Yeah, yeah, I'm saying so. I didn't want people to see me down and out and broken. But that's like, life gonna be broken. So it's gonna happen. Yeah. So. So and I also think, in looking back on, I think I was on like, I had the big head at the time, too. So that was kind of like my humbling. Right, yeah, you're strong, you're rocking things like this. I can do it. I can do it all. And it was like, You know what, think about it. Yeah. But like, like, that, that whole, like time period of me, like recovering and like understanding like, that gave me so much more perspective about, I think my life at the time, and like, the things around me, the people around me. Yeah, really helped me build a better support system, because the people who really cared about me people actually wanted to see me succeed. And they was there.

Tom Regal: 9:24

Yeah,

Keionta Davis: 9:25

they helped me out. They made sure I was never down on my schoolwork. They made sure I was never, you know,

Tom Regal: 9:31

and that's critical support system for a young athlete, especially but any athlete is to have that positive influence. It's just I mean, they're there for you.

Keionta Davis: 9:39

Right.

Tom Regal: 9:39

Right?

Keionta Davis: 9:40

Right.

Tom Regal: 9:40

And that's, that's important to have.

Keionta Davis: 9:41

And I think half of it is because I built such a good relationship. It's just being a good person to people like I tell people all the time, like, you never know when you're going to need somebody.

Tom Regal: 9:49

Oh, yeah.

Keionta Davis: 9:50

So it's kind of like you can't just walk around, like Sis, like shooting everybody off. Yeah. And then they'll say it's gonna come a time where you might need Yep, yep. I got my Teachers like I was good to one of my teachers Miss Manning. She passed away she battled cancer for a long time and she passed away but she she will bring me my homework. She would make sure I was on top of my stuff you can do this this and this. And I don't think I made I made all A's and like two B's my senior year

Kenny Bailey<br>: 10:17

that's great!

Keionta Davis: 10:17

cuz cuz she mainly because she was helped me out and it has so many other people helped me out. And it's great people in the school respected me and like the things that I did. And so that made it easier, because people was willing to help me. So

Kenny Bailey<br>: 10:28

you're not playing to? What they're still respecting you. So yeah, I mean, the lesson there is that you're still they're still helping you they still see something in you even though you're injured.

Keionta Davis: 10:36

Exactly, exactly.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 10:37

Yeah. To your point. You don't have to be Superman to get that's kind of cool.

Keionta Davis: 10:42

Yeah. So that was that was that was a blessing for sure. And because that that time period I'm talking about it went from having stacks of letters. And you know, if people guys would get recruited, you understand like, you know, stacks of mail every day, like in your lockers or coach says come pick this up or you have trash bags at the house with

Kenny Bailey<br>: 11:02

you, too. I had a letter......(laughing)

Keionta Davis: 11:05

Yeah, so I ordered stuff and then like legit, like, the day after I told him, not the day after, but like once the word got around that I tore my ACL missing season. I didn't get it. I didn't get a letter.

Tom Regal: 11:14

Nothing.

Keionta Davis: 11:15

Yeah. I got a phone call from I'm not gonna say the coach's name. We had a conversation about actually coaches. But we had it he called me he was like, hey, how's the season going? I was like, coach, I told my ACL he was oh Sorry to hear that have a good day. Yeah. And that was end of the conversation. I was just like, oh, so that was I that was kind of like, it was like, it was shocking to me. Because like, I went from being up here to down here like so fast. Yeah. It was like a blink of an eye like and I was just like, wow, like, well, it was like, like two options at that point. Yeah, if I either let everything just be how it is or to change something about it. Ya know, me I couldn't just sit still knowing I was I was more ignorant to the fact that I couldn't do it. Yeah. And that was just from being young like and like inexperienced. A lot of things I didn't know I couldn't do it. I didn't know like, this was like a slim to none chance. Yeah, actually like torn ACL. One year of experience in varsity football. You can go to a college and you go and go out there and do all these other things. Like, I didn't know that was not a possibility.

Tom Regal: 12:21

So and it's good. We've had this conversation with other people on it saying they've switched sports, they've gone on and tried different things. And they didn't research it. They didn't know the difference. So they didn't know how stacked the odds were against them. And then they succeed. Because sometimes it's better to be ignorant. Yeah. It's bliss.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 12:37

So did you UT call up though, you landed at UT Chattanooga, right. And that was one of the letters that you know, continue to come through. So

Keionta Davis: 12:49

this is my friend. Now. My coach back then. Coach Will Haley he coached that Austin people a little bit. He coach, he coaches now at Charlotte. I remember this day, it was at the scrimmage, I guess McCauley. I think this was maybe like a day or two after I went to a doctor and he comes up to me, I'm in crutches and everything. He was like, Look, we still want to recruit you as a normal prospect. We still want you to come to the school. And this was early like right after him saying so nice. Then I'm experienced those other things. And he was I listened we'll still do this. That is what you know that like he's still on our radar. So I'm like cool. But at the time, you know, I had like UT and all these other big schools. I'm like, I want to go there. I want to get out of Chattanooga. I don't want to be here anymore. Yeah. I grew up there all my life. I was like, I don't want Chattanooga anymore. So yeah, he came to me and said, I said those things. And then just as we have kind of like picked up and I started get a little bit better. More schools came back in the mix and was like, you know, we want you to be a preferred walk on. I'm like, I'm not on for preferred walk on money. Yeah, I really don't. Yeah. I can't. Yeah. So, um, that was just kind of what it was. But I was still working. I was still I think this is about like, December, January. I just started like running. So I was going to the track by myself and just run right. And I will go to physical therapy. And I remember I remember like, I went to Rayburn High School in people if you know, Rayburn High School is a heel, that you come down or you go up to leave. It's like to the right when you come out the light and my physical therapy place was on the left of so I had to go up to hill to the left across a street, like four lanes. Yeah, in crutches sometimes if I didn't get a ride. So it was like that was a workout and stuff but like every day going to physical therapy. Nice. Then when I went to my advanced therapy place, it was a summit physical therapy. Star physical therapy. I think it was called Chattanooga. There might be one here.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 14:38

Yeah, there is.

Keionta Davis: 14:39

Okay, okay. Yeah, I went there and they did a great job with me and just working on getting my strength back, getting my coordination back, you know, doing functional movements, not just you know, things that make you feel good, but actually like working me like, making me work.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 14:55

Yeah. So I guess the question would be is, so in high school, you didn't really think The whole time you're just going through the drills and all that now you got that injury to come back for the injury. How, how more conscious were you of the types of workout you're doing and how to take care of yourself? I mean, that clearly, You know, that was a good Scared Straight program, I guess. Right, right?

Keionta Davis: 15:14

I wouldn't say it. I think it's still took me a while even after that injury, just because it was more. I was doing the recovery stuff. Because I had to, and it was more like motivation, because I didn't want to I didn't want the next day to be worse than the day before. I want to get better.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 15:35

Yeah, absolutely.

Keionta Davis: 15:35

I got it. I didn't want to get worse at all. So yeah. At that point, I was just mainly focusing on how do I get better like, Okay, do I have to ice it. Make sure I ice it, makes sure I've elevated my leg. It was a simple stuff, then. Yeah. But yeah, I think it took a while for me to actually learn the recovery aspect of football or of life. Like the actual like, no matter what, like mental recovery, physical recovery. Like, it took me a while to learn that part.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 16:04

Yeah, but you did. Okay. in Chattanooga, there are a couple of if I'm reading correctly. So single season school sack record, second all time sacks at UTC Just, So apparently, when you came back, you came back with a vengeance.

Keionta Davis: 16:18

Oh, it took a little while.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 16:21

Were you angry? back? Or was it more like definitely drag out to prove something?

Keionta Davis: 16:25

I think I think yeah, it was more of a how to prove something and planning your hometown. I mean, everybody knows you kind of have to, you know. So you got to show up? For sure. So yeah, I mean, when I got to UTC, it was definitely I'll say different than what I expected. Just because you know, his first time in college different level plan I haven't played since 2011. And my first year plan was 2013. So is off. The only I played in a in like the north south, like all star game. Like, this was like, I was maybe like 1011 months out of surgery, and I played in the all star game. So that was like my first game. But ever since then, I haven't played like in a gang game. And I recreated my first year. It was just all like experience in college and in like, pretty much experience in college. If anybody is worried about ratio, and don't be that's the best part. It's like you get the pressure off, right? Yeah, exactly. You get you get to practice, you still get to be a part of the team. But you also get to be a college student for a year. Yeah. So I would say if you get a chance to do it, trust me. There you go. And like I said, but but like I came in, I was like 232 25 I will say it was I was lucky enough to work out with them during the summertime, like right after I graduated high school. And I was like to 20 I will say to 25 but by the time 2013 came after my ratio, you have 245 Wow. So that was like I was ready to go.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 17:56

Yeah, so that first hit How did it feel? I mean, oh, the first.

Keionta Davis: 17:59

The first game we play UT Martin, and literally when I stepped on the field, my leg like locked up. I really took a step who's like can't tell you starting off. Okay. All right. I like to step on the field. Oh, my legs. And it was just like a little I do like I was just so nervous. I guess I never felt like I would be this nervous. Like I was. I was truly nervous. And UT Martin, but they put it on a steady. We definitely we lost it. We shouldn't have lost it in but we did. We missed I think as a team, we missed like 69 tackles.

Tom Regal: 18:29

Wow. Oh, wow.

Keionta Davis: 18:30

Yeah, it was bad. Yes.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 18:34

humbling, right.

Keionta Davis: 18:35

Yeah, definitely. humbling.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 18:36

But, but the good news is, I mean, you play through the game, you know, you had a lock up when you walked out but then kind of, you know, once you get into it, right. I mean, once you did,

Keionta Davis: 18:46

that was the worst game I ever played.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 18:49

I got better for you. Like I'm

Keionta Davis: 18:50

trying here, man. The worst game I've ever played. I promise you I missed a sack. that game I missed. I was like they were so you missed your first one. But like I shouldn't have missed that said, Well, yeah,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 19:00

you know, the fact that today it still bothers me. Oh,

Keionta Davis: 19:03

sure. Exactly. Especially. I'll tell you how competitive a guy in the locker room really understand. But uh, yeah, we, we Yeah, that game kinda like it was it was hard just because we built up so much just like working like we got to do this. We got to get in like I'm trying to do all the right things and then go on the field you don't do the right things. And it's not certainly not necessarily like you can't do it. It's just like, sometimes you gonna fail situations in that whole that whole red shirt year was hard for me just because I started off starting just because a couple players was missing games due to like suspensions and stuff. Then I ended up not playing for a couple games. And I was kind of like, what do I you know, in that gray area, like what do I do? like yeah, am I playing? I'm not playing I don't know. Like, my goodness.

Tom Regal: 19:49

How do you prepare?

Keionta Davis: 19:49

Yeah. Yeah, you don't know you started questioning yourself. And I remember it was playing against Citadel and they put me in like the end of the game. I think somebody got And I ended up getting like back to back sacks. And like that was the point where things just like, clicked for me and like, like, game what the game season after season like, as you start getting better, yeah, started getting better start getting better. Um, injuries are still a part of it, I had to deal with injury like that next year. But like, it didn't stop me from like, wanting to be better like that. It like created a hunger for me. Yeah. And I have my coach, my D line coach Marcus West, who's another one of my good friends. He just like he was telling me like, but you gotta want it, you don't want to go get it. And like that was like, that was the only thing I cared about what's going to kill it, like, whatever it was, like, I didn't care about like, you know, being the best or whatever I just wanted to be me, I wanted to make myself into the person I thought I could be. And it kind of turned out that way. And it was just like, that motivation that was instilled in me by the people around me, my teammates, my coaches, like they amplified what I thought I could be him saying like, you come in and you think you know who you are, but people can sit there so you like, like, if you do this, this and this, right? You're going to be 10 times better do this isn't this or just take two days out of the day to do extra this or? Yeah, whatever it is, like you take that and start applying it to your game or to your life. And it changes like so

Kenny Bailey<br>: 21:29

yeah, it's almost like you have to be confident enough to know that your ability is is is getting you there right right but humble enough to to be able to take direction from folks saying hey, you're almost there, change these two things or apply these two things and it's going to get you even further so you have to be both extremely confident and being able to know your ability but also not be so confident that you're arrogant stupid, you don't listen to anybody

Keionta Davis: 21:56

right because because you go and take yourself so far in his life on some people is farther than others but once you start giving people just a little bit of control and letting them kind of like mold and shape you and guide you know, it helps because they can probably see something a little bit farther than than what your vision allows you to see. So that was very helpful and then I remember what really took it to the next next level and this was like my best year ever play was my coach he showed me I think everybody knows this book or is a book and a video you can watch it's called The Secret and it's like this manifested in like so like every for every game got the game plan down I'm writing my goals like what I want to do in the game I wonder the game my expectations and by even before the season I wrote like my whole statline like what I want to have what I want to produce nice. I was pretty close like if it was somebody else pretty close and that's the I came about 13 and a half sacks my junior year. made all American I think that a year. I just went like and it was kind of like people didn't know but just because we had this guy Davis Toll. He was the freaking out like I'm talking about. How tall is Davis? He's probably like six two. He was like 250 this man ran a four three gs 44 vertical Wow. He's from high school because he's from like, up here this area thing but its a white guy though, so you wouldn't expect you really respected but like we see him on the field. Like I remember. I played like it was like a running back supposed to cut them and he jumped over the running back. almost sacked the quarterback, the quarterback had to throw the ball away, I'm like, yo and like, but he was like the gold standard of Yeah, who like D lineman, like he's has the sack record at UTC Still he has like 39... he was a dog. He got drafted to the Saints,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 23:45

did he?

Keionta Davis: 23:46

Yeah, he played with the Saints for a couple years. He bounced around the league a little bit. But uh, yeah, I mean, you know, I had that guy in front of me. So like, everybody was all eyes was at him all the time. So when he left, he was kind of like, we're not worried about anybody. Yeah. And I was like, Well

Kenny Bailey<br>: 24:05

hold my beer.

Keionta Davis: 24:07

So I kind of like, that's great. Like it was there the opportunity was there, like everything he wanted, like, you might not come in a in a way you think it is. But like the opportunity was just there. Like, yeah, there's there's no guy so like, this is the time but if you want to be the guy here, there's only one opportunity, right? Yeah. And like every game I was like, I have to steal that. Like I'm so people like, the guy like,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 24:30

Well, I know. zeek did the same thing. And I think when he ran for over 2000 yards and got, you know, running back in the year he would write down like I'm these are the things I'm going to do like this is I'm gonna have a 2000 yard season. You know, I'm going to be the rush leader. We're gonna I mean, he just wrote it down and it kind of manifests itself to make sure that that's that's the things you do.

Keionta Davis: 24:50

I think I think writing it down, it's just kind of like hold yourself responsible. Like, because it was some games Why didn't do half of stuff I wrote down or have some I thought I could do but it was like Did I even like? Even if? Even if I did meet those criteria? Did I play like that? Did I play with enough intensity to get those things? Like some? Honestly, you'll be better than some people sometimes. But like, because you step down to their level and you still better don't mean that you are holding yourself to. Exactly. Exactly. So

Tom Regal: 25:18

So did you go after each game? Did you look at your stats and stuff and look where it was and sit back and go, Okay, I didn't do exactly what I wanted to do or be at that level. Where can I make the improvements? Did you watch the film back over and just tweak little things? You know, here's where I can improve?

Keionta Davis: 25:31

Watching film. Definitely. And that was the thing that really, I think, also took my game to the next level because I say my sophomore year, I don't have a bachelor's I have

Tom Regal: 25:38

As a third guy that's was pretty good. five and a half sacks, 10 and half CFLs. But I play off the b nch. Like I was like the t

Keionta Davis: 25:48

And so I was like, but you watch the film and I will miss so many opportunities are like, not getting off the ball fast enough not doing certain things like you could have had 10 easy. Yeah. Or certainly like it was certain games where I even my junior year when I had 13 and a half sacks. I had like three or four games. Why didn't have no sacks. But I mean, half it was because we play triple option teamss, but that sucked but but it was just like, you go back and watch like, but if you just went a little bit harder right here, or if you just stuck to your technique, or if you just pay more attention. Like even at my best. I was still trying to like you had three you had three sacks that game. Okay, you could have six. Yeah, like, and like that's like, we hold yourself to a standard. You never let yourself like fall short. Yeah. Yeah. Like you understand your ability. And like, I think self accountability, self honesty are like two major keys that are really allow you to evolve in life, not just in sports, just in life. Yeah, I

Kenny Bailey<br>: 26:46

think I think that there was a trust factor too, because I think you have to be able to at some point in time, you got to trust somebody. Right? Right. And you have to trust that your coach is trying to do the right thing for you. You have to trust that the people that are around you are doing the right thing. And that can be a difficult thing to do. Right. I mean, it first off admit, I mean, just for like, I'm a weekend warrior, I do triathlons, you know, at some point in time, I'm like, I suck at swimming. I you know, so I needed you know, I got Tom as my coach. Because at some point, I'm like, I can continue to beat my my head against a brick wall. Or at some point, I got to trust somebody that they're going to help me get better that that. Is that a difficult thing for you to trust people? Or is it something that you just got,

Keionta Davis: 27:24

and that's crazy, we talked about that just because my senior year I had to switch D line coaches because

Kenny Bailey<br>: 27:26

Yep,

Keionta Davis: 27:27

I think and that's just kind of like coach, Wes and coach Healey, they left to go to Austin Peay. So I had a new guy come in, and I'm like, okay, I come up with 13, half sack season, all American, all this other stuff. Yeah. It's kind of like, Do I still do things my way? Or do I let this person coach me and teach me things? And that was, I think, that was a, I guess, like a nod to like, who I am as a person who's just kind of like, I didn't let that affect like, the coach. I still like the coaches coach. respect, like, and I'm big on respect, like, that's one thing you can always control. Like, your respect, you get no respect that you can given. Yeah. And I'm being on Yes, sir. No, sir. Yes, ma'am. No, ma'am. My granddad he won't let me talk to anybody. Yeah, we're like, yeah, or no. So that that was kind of like, instilled in me early. And then so like, like talking to the coach. And just like being able to have it is a two way street. I think it'd be able to have somebody who comes in and they're just as open as you are to them as they always have. Because you have some coaches who come in, they feel like, this is my program like, bro, like, yeah, you don't have to be that way. But like, you don't have to be that way. Like you can. It can be even with young men like you don't have to be so like, bigger than him or overpowering, you have to come off that way you can make it seem open, because a lot of times, you know, young men, they go through so much stuff and emotions and they don't understand everything, like it's better to them, like having to come able to like sit down in office and just talk, not necessarily about football, just be able to talk like building that trust that way, as well allow you to coach better and make them understand like what I'm telling you, I'm not telling you this to bash you or to to make you seem like you're not doing stuff, right? You're not good enough. I'm telling you this because I want you to be better. I want things to change. I want you to change. This is not good enough. Yeah. So you know, being able to take those words from a different coach who I didn't really know like that. But as the year went on, like we just progressed and we we gain respect for each other and like it was it was never like, none at all. But it's like the trust and respect was always there. And it kind of allowed him to come in. I still had a good season ended up being the Defensive Player of the Year. Ended up seems to be okay. Yeah. Not not the season we wanted to as a team, but like it still was like one of those seasons where, you know, it was it was it was some change in there. But we didn't allow it to, to like destroy us as a team. Yeah, we still was able to progress especially as a unit on the line. It kind of put me in more of a leadership spot because I had to make sure the guys behind me was still giving them the coach the same respect to so yeah, yeah. I think that was just, you know, another opportunity for me to grow as a person.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 30:06

So when you when you left college, what was your expectation on draft? Were you did you think you were gonna get drafted? Did you were you tell me if this is a touchy subject? I don't know. I didn't say I didn't say I'm here today you're still 285

Keionta Davis: 30:23

is not such a touchy subject is a signing day when I cried on signing day. Yeah, man that was that was that was rough one. Yeah, but it's just Yeah, but anyway, we're gonna ain't going totalk about that....

Kenny Bailey<br>: 30:33

Oh, no, no, no, we're gonna

Keionta Davis: 30:35

we can come back to that....

Kenny Bailey<br>: 30:36

We're absolutely gonna talk about that. 100 percent, uh, okay, so we expecting to get drafted, or was that something you were kind of hoping to?

Keionta Davis: 30:43

So yeah, so I'm coming out of college. I went to the Senior Bowl and I competed in that. The buzz. I think the most buzz I had probably like fourth round, maybe I think the highest maybe, I don't think third round. fourth round would have been the highest. I probably went just from like talking and you know, I think I had a lot of interest. I mean, I did like, so I did. Like, there's a story about this Bill Belichick came to himself and worked me and one of my teammates out in Chattanooga,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 31:14

then that's not intimidating at all. Oh, my God. Yeah.

Keionta Davis: 31:18

It's, um, I was up there, like 6am 7am or something like that. In the film room early. Dark film, I had to make sure I'm like, I'm up drink some coffee. Yeah. So it is cold to have like, middle February. I'm like, man, man, it's cold. But uh, did that. And then you know, I have more teams coming in more teams calling. I couldn't compete. On at the combine, I got a invited to the combine was getting ready and everything was doing like the medical part of it, which is like the worst part of it. Like, combine, it's probably I don't say it's a bad experience. But it's just like, it's tedious. It's like, it's a lot of things you have to do that you don't want to do. Yeah. So going through the whole medical part. And, you know, they take down your injuries and all the things that you went through, and they gotta like, check over them. And so I had like, a lot of stingers from college, and they never stopped me from playing ball. Like I still play. Yeah. I'm thinking at all I made my ankle cuz my ankle, I said at the outset of the most games with ankle injury, and that's about it. So they come and get me like, like, the day of like, who about to do bench and all that kind of stuff? And I was like, uh, well, you can't compete in the combine, you have a herniated disc in your neck. And I'm like, I was like, I was like, okay,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 32:36

does it feel hurt again?

Keionta Davis: 32:38

Cuz I didn't have any symptoms. Like, I had no symptoms. I didn't know. Like, I had no pain. I had no like, tingling them or I had nothing like, everything they saying that I should be feeling I didn't feel that's funny. And it was it was high up too. So I was like, C2. And it kind of started to bruise my, my spinal cord a little bit too. And it was another one like down a little bit further, like c four, I think c five. So I had two herniated disk. And it was just like, and I was like, I don't know what to do. Like, I can't compete. I'm like, I'm fine. Like I don't it's like, well, if you roll, and

Kenny Bailey<br>: 33:10

yeah, it's a liability issue. And if you go out there then

Keionta Davis: 33:15

they're neglect. So at that point, I called my agent. I told him everything. I was like, Roger, I don't want to be here. I won't leave. I can't leave. He's like, Nah, I'll just stay stay, you know, hang out, you know, because I did have a meeting with the Ravens. Which is pretty cool. So

Kenny Bailey<br>: 33:29

was there a team that you really wanted? I mean, you landed in New England, but it was

Keionta Davis: 33:32

it wasn't really a team I really want I grew up a Kansas City Chiefs fan. I tell people I tell

Kenny Bailey<br>: 33:37

No the Cowboys?

Keionta Davis: 33:41

I think pick my favorite team was I talked about my people favorite team. I will just turn on a random game. Whoever won was my favorite team. was there that day the Kansas City Chiefs won. That was my favorite team.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 33:50

There you go.

Keionta Davis: 33:51

But uh yeah, so you know, I always even like, there was another moment where like, I was on top of the world and the injury brought me down so I'm okay. What do I do? Alright, get ready for pro day so I go back home. I get ready for pro day I kill pro day. ran 4.7, 38 inch veretical, then I got 10 two broad jump like I killed it. Geez. Killed killed my brother. Killed the drills kill everything. I'm thinking like I'm good. Like, I'm still doing like workouts with teams like coming down trying to go to the

Kenny Bailey<br>: 34:25

Mel Kipper's like probably giving you praise.

Keionta Davis: 34:29

But then it comes down to it. I had to go back up to Indianapolis, for like the combine. Combine like re-evaluations and they're still there. And they still talking about it's like a hobby. I basically a red flag for that. Yeah. So it went from fourth to seventh round guy to you can't even get to pick them up. And so I went to New York See a special specialists like an expert, a spine specialist. He was like, I mean, your fine like, it's nothing wrong you've played with it. Like for probably longer than you think. Yeah. But like, it was like you couldn't convince teams to not be that way. So it was kind of okay, well, you just got to sit out and let it heal. So that was like, the thing my agent was trying to convey. To all the teams was like, I mean, he's good to go. He just gotta wait. Yeah, and but like, you know, how many people are gonna buy you a new car that is broken. Yeah. So that's kind of like the mentality I had after the draft and everyone, you know, it sucked. But you know, and I had, like, this little down period of like, you know, dang, like, I get that what I would do. You know, I felt like it was over. Right? Yeah. I feel like I definitely like it was over. And, you know, it's difficult to deal with, like, sales no time while I'm, like, appear and I just got humbled real quick. Like, yeah, like, and it's a long time of me just like feeling bad for myself. To find out. Okay, I gotta do something. Yeah. And then this is when Why say he's my good friend coach Healey called me up. He's like, hey, look, come up here to Austin P you can help coach you can work out, do all things you need to do until you're healthy. And then you can go off and do whatever. So my I'm like cool, I'll come up and do that. My my, my, my brother played up there too. So who I watched them my favorite athlete. So I was like, Okay, well, I'll get to be my brother. I get to watch all those games. I go up there for camp. We hanging out. You know, just you know, it's cool. Like his coaching school. Just long hours. Like, yeah, I don't think I could do it now. Yeah. Yeah, I could get a coach to go up there at 6am. And don't leave till 1am. So yeah.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 36:43

That's a no.....

Keionta Davis: 36:44

But to know, exactly. So I was I would go up there. I'll get in at six. I will go do my conditioning, my running and whatever. Go to practice. I will work out of go eat and I will go watch film. And then I'm just with a team the rest of the day. Yeah. So I was doing it for about two weeks. And then my agent called me he was like a what you think about New England. I was like, Oh, yeah, whatever. Like they wanna pick me up. He was like, uh, well, they might want to pick you up, they might call you. And then I get a call, like, what's the next day? Like, maybe? I want to I don't think the next day I think like later that night, you say, Hey, you got a flight at 7am on Thursday. Okay. You're down in Nashville. And then I fly out there. Then I signed my papers. And I'm in meetings like that quick. Yeah. Wow. So it went from me feeling bad thing. I'm just gonna be coaching and working out to your professional I plan. Yes. And they listen, all you got to do is go to meetings. So my whole first year I set out like I didn't do anything like I went to meetings. I worked out. And that was it. But it was just kind of like, I got to learn the defense from like, the mental side.

Tom Regal: 37:55

Kind of like redshirting, your first year. Exactly. I mean, you got in you got used to the to the facilities, you got used to have people he got used to the schedules, and it and then got to learn it.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 38:06

Yeah. Well, and you're learning from, I mean, one of the best football teams in the league. I mean, without a doubt. I mean, that's, I mean, so your impression of Bill before you met him? And then as he's coaching you Belicheck, by the way, yeah, you can just call him Bill right? So when, when you have the opportunity to kind of spend time with him was it was a different than what you expected? Or was was, or even even the facilities, everything else, right.

Keionta Davis: 38:35

I didn't really have any expectations about it. I was probably just like everybody else, like it was tired of the Patriots winning probably. But it was kind of a respect thing is just kind of like, I mean, they win the day. Did you know that but when you win something, right? Same thing with like,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 38:52

like LeBron, like, like the Cowboys by the way. A couple decades.

Keionta Davis: 38:59

But it's kind of like LeBron, like everybody quote him. I don't think people really hate LeBron, but like, he beat your favorite team every year. Like I don't like this guy, right? But it's like for me it's it's a respect thing. Like I'm a bulls fan. I'll see LeBron meet the walls. And yeah, Derrick Rose in my row. I hate this. Man go on somewhere, like we'll beat you eventually. I never did. But like, it was kind of like that, that hate but then you see the work they put in and everything they do. And he's like, number respect. Yeah. And how to handle certain situations or how to handle it like the way bill coaches like the way but he's so smart. Like, he's a big history guy. Yeah. And that translates into the way he coaches because it's based upon like history, like, yeah, cuz people don't change, like, like, he's got a reason behind what he's doing. And he explains that Yes, right. I remember, film sessions, they were like they this coordinator ran this play in 2001. This set, and then, in 2017, he ran the same play the same set situation, don't change history like and he's he sold into that and like details and

Tom Regal: 40:05

to know all of that, like for every memory of everything, every single play for everything, every

Keionta Davis: 40:11

place we went to is something like he would like help teaming or whatever. And he would talk about like, some historic or something like important about the city or important about like, when played Detroit, he will talk about Detroit like, Motor City, everything like, wow, Memorial Day, he talked about more today, when I got like, tell me something about more than just like, oh snap. Like before it before means of like, hey, look, it's more like, make sure you got a cup of facts

Kenny Bailey<br>: 40:36

about it. And you were telling me on otas they were doing he put you guys in like the 1940s Yeah. 1940s

Keionta Davis: 40:43

Yeah, that was that was pretty dope. It was kind of like a day off the same time. It's like, we had a whole like learning session, like you can tell like, and I think that's why he's such a good coach is just because he's so in tune to detail. He's so in tune to, to history and like, it's so in tune to learning that he always knows what to do. Like, it was crazy. Like he'll, like, I'm not the only one who said this, like, you know, Bill will predict the future like that on third down, they're gonna notice and if you stand right here, you will catch a big interception. Like, yeah, this is what they're gonna do. Yeah, they know what they're gonna do. And

Kenny Bailey<br>: 41:19

that's tell he's frustrated, right? Because he knows what's going to happen. And he can't you know, that's why he

Keionta Davis: 41:23

preaches so much on do your job. Because like, Listen, I'm putting out in the best position to do the job and you will get you will make plays, he will do right, you will do the right thing. So like, being around somebody like that, and like just learning, understanding, like you tell that whole culture that is more it's not it's like not about you. It's about us, like, not us, as in them. But us as an everybody on the team. Yeah, yeah. So he's like, you have to buy into that. Like, you can't think you're bigger than other like, and this is where it's different. Just because it's you playing with a grown man, like, everybody has a little proud about them. And they want to be Yeah. They feel like they should be more or whatever. Yeah. Sometimes are people buying like, everybody can't be a patriot man. Like, it's mentality. Yeah, you have to really have to put the team first. Right? Right. You really have to be able to put your pride aside and do everything right. And like, hold yourself accountable and do all these other things that they asking you. Knowing that in fact, there's gonna be you have confetti falling on you. Yeah, in February. So

Kenny Bailey<br>: 42:21

let's talk about that. You have that magical year. Right. So going into the year did you guys feel good? About kind of where you're at?

Keionta Davis: 42:28

I don't know how everybody else feels. I was just trying to make the team Yeah, cuz you're there. But you You're still there. With the position? Yeah. So like, this is my first year playing. Like I didn't get to I didn't get to do no mini camps. I get and I haven't put on Iran. This drills. Yeah, I haven't done any actual football stuff with the team. Yeah. I had a couple guys who were with me, my injury guys that would come over there. And we will do work together and stuff like that. But like, I didn't have any, like, you know, coaches out there really, like, teach me the technique and stuff. So this is my first year of have all that. So I'm learning. I'm trying to do my best and all these things. And I don't know if I'm doing it right and different. And then you kind of have to find your niche. Like, are you good at like, yeah, whatever you're good at. Just keep doing that. Yeah, exactly, is that and that was the thing, like, like, 500 good. And I found some I was good. I found some good, like, help help stop the run and help set an edge. Like, that's not what I did in college, but in the way you're doing now. Like, that was a way to get on field. Yeah. So it was kind of like, depth that put me in there for like, it was still things I had to learn and still things I was trying to get used to just because the playstyle is different, as well, too. So they were more of a two gap in team in college. I don't play to gap I was it was basically like, whatever I want to do freelance Oh, yeah, definitely. It's just more like just go like, wreak havoc. And like that was a change too. For me. It's like

Kenny Bailey<br>: 43:53

discipline, right? I had to learn

Keionta Davis: 43:54

Yeah, it has learned how to play this style. I wanted to be here and be on this team as well how to play the style. And that was this ongoing process. And but I mean, I have worked every day I came out there put my head down just just went got it like then it turned out that the day like so they changed it from where like you get cut like every week my players get two or something one cut day. Oh my Yeah, set out like all these guys were hanging around like for the last like month and like we hanging out. And then the cut day comes and like gone. Everyone's gone. It's like with no snap this finger. Yeah. You're not there for real though. Like, yeah, he's like, dang, dang, he called to Mike. And so that I mean, but like you experienced that, knowing that you're gonna be on the team versus the experience that you might even cut. Yeah, he's different. Like you might you don't want to be that guy. So, um, but you know, saying but luckily I put in enough work and the coaches you know, like what I did to make my team and I was on a 53 for that year. I start I I started like one game, I think or maybe a couple games.

Tom Regal: 45:03

I mean, being making it as an undrafted. Yeah, is huge. I mean, that's, that's no small task. No, not at all to do that. So, like, most respect for that. I mean,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 45:14

so you were sitting here, like you were the big dog in Chattanooga, right? I mean, you, you know, you're the man, right? So you get to New England, and all of a sudden, like, you're trying to just figure out where the hell like try to figure out the place scheme. And other those that have factor when you kind of walked in is that now you're dealing with 35 year old guys have been doing this for, you know, a dozen years that are, you know, know what, like the back of their hand? Was that kind of a humbling thing? Or was that was that something that was difficult to adopt to you? Or like you said, just head down, do do the right thing and get on the team? Do your job kind of deal?

Keionta Davis: 45:45

For me? I mean, coming in like, you want to be respectful?

Kenny Bailey<br>: 45:49

Yeah, obviously. Yeah. You know,

Keionta Davis: 45:51

and that was why came from is being respectful. But you got to understand the business out of the two. And it really, it took some people who, you know, I call friends to this day, like some vets and stuff to really like, talk to me. They're sitting there listening to him, like, I know, one guy, Tennessee, Dante, Otto, we became good friends. Yeah. But he would tell me like, bro, just be you. Like, it's a business at the end of the day. Like, you still have to be like, you can't let them form into something not like, because you still got to perform. Yeah, yeah. In a way that gets you attract to like 31 teams watching like the two teams watching. Yeah, so like, it's like what you do. And the game is not only good for the team was good for you, like so you have to perform everyday, you have to put up a good like coaches change teams every year, like I know, players who follow coaches, you know, pick up the same players everywhere they go. Yeah, you know, why? Because they know this player gonna do X, Y, Z Go for it, like so you have to have, you know, some type of self preservation. Yeah. And in the business world,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 46:54

I guess. Maybe? And that's a great question, I guess is that's a whole nother level of thing you have to learn now, right? It's the whole business side of things at the end of the day, you're responsible for you right? And is was that a difficult thing to start picking up and learning and understanding was like, hey, they're in college you're playing for camaraderie you're playing because you have to still have part of that when you're on the protein but at the same time, you know your buddy's not helping you signed a contract your your contracts being signed between you and the team

Keionta Davis: 47:22

Yeah, cuz definitely that's that's something you have to learn just because it goes from this is my friend this is the guys I hang out with to bro we could be for the same spot. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. It's gonna be me or you possibly Yeah, yeah. And that that's hard to deal with because in college like this might not like no matter what like if I'm starting to eat start late no matter what yeah, we still be friends like you still gonna be friends with people but like now it's paychecks yeah yeah. taking money out yeah

Tom Regal: 47:48

table

Keionta Davis: 47:49

like yes and that's different like in a lot of people can't I don't know a lot like you've come in here and being eight like being ignorant to it like I was but luckily I set up my first year and I didn't really understand really yeah, I understand that kind of stuff. But like when you see it anyway, okay. Like Yeah, like you can be friends but also I'm like bro today like I can't Yeah, go easily Yeah, okay. Yeah, we go have to compete today let's

Tom Regal: 48:13

that's a different mindset for people that even if you work as a coach or something to have a friendship off the field, but to compete with them on the field to know that you're gonna have to hit them hard and you're gonna have to knock them down and you're gonna have to make them look bad but it's not personal right? Yeah, it's this is just business and then you go out the field and then you go have a you know, have a meal with them and chit chat

Keionta Davis: 48:33

Yeah, as if because definitely have those conversations after practice. You have to you know, like, bro, like, you have to go You have to do like that like, bro. I got like, I coach told me I do. coach told me you want to see me to do XYZ today? Yeah, sorry, you were in the way. x y&z sorry. But like, you know, just because like I said, self preservation, though, like if you want to be in a spot and you want to, you know, you'll be in a position to rush the passer things like I have to do certain things and like, it sucks a little bit because I'm such a nice guy. I'm like, Yeah, like, I'm never you'd never see me like mad. Like, I don't get like, play mad. You weren't one of those guys. I'm just gonna play mad. Like, I played with emotion. I play with passion, but like, it was all fun. Like, yeah, I gotta tackle I'm smiling. I'm smiling like yeah, it was just it was passion like Yeah, yeah, well, this time the bow up like I'm still playing with a certain type of passion. Yeah, kind of like, you know, but I never get mad like, if you see me mad, I don't even know why I want to do

Kenny Bailey<br>: 49:33

but like I'm gonna your children like hey,

Keionta Davis: 49:39

everybody's motivate differently. Yeah, absolutely. Because I've seen so I seen this guy. My one of my good friends. Diedrich was good 6667 probably like to 60 to 70 long as is probably seen in my life. This man, nice guy you have me Hey, are you doing soft voice soft spoken, you know, gentle giant type guy on the field. totally different person like but he takes that one night like nine don't take nothing. That's just how he is. Flip the switch on my bro. That's all you have to like calm down. Relax.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 50:13

Relax. So yeah, I mean so I have to ask because you are you know you are in an echelon of people that got to have that confetti drop on you right right win a Super Bowl. I mean how's that like as you're obviously seasons going through you win it. I mean, is it this just walk us through that sort of elation? That feeling like Here you are. Like you said, You're you've got a bulging disc, you have no idea whether or not you're going to do this or not. Right Signing Day occurs. You cried. We talked about. You get on a team. That's a story team. And here you are sitting there watching this. I mean, what what did that feel like? Here? You are at the you know, two years ago, you were? You weren't even sure now you're?

Keionta Davis: 50:54

I think it was like a rock star. Yeah, it was it was a little different for me. Because it was so surreal. Like I told I remember, at a prime minister told my teammates like bro, like, I've been so worried about how well I'm doing on the team right now. I'm not I haven't been able to like enjoy, like the process we've been going through just because I'm trying to get on the field and hands down to a team like that. Sometimes you have to enjoy the moment. Like that's real. Like, you really do have to sit back and enjoy the moment no matter where you at no matter what's going on. Like if things are going sideways. You have to sit there and like be in the moment. Like I never like for like a couple weeks. I wasn't in the moment because I was just trying to work so hard to exactly to do the right things and learn the system to show them I can do. I can play inside and outside. I can play you know, I was doing so much and I never really sat back and like Dang, I play an NFL for New England Patriots and we are going to Super Yeah. I didn't think about that for a long time. Like I didn't I didn't think about that. It was just more just like I'm playing football. I'm trying to better myself. I'm trying to get better man. Trying to put Good stuff, good tape on film. I'm trying to you know, do all these things. But when I finally got there, it was kind of like I didn't get to play in the Super Bowl was you know, I was you know, a part of 53 man roster, but I was just, you know, only for like 47 plays. So like six guys have to get active. Yeah, yeah. But it was like the whole weekend. Like even in the playoffs? Like I was like playing like an essential person in practice and knowing that that my reps are important. Yeah. Absolutely. Every attribute. Yeah. That's when you start learning how important roles are. Yeah. How important. Like you don't always have to be the man to win. Yeah. Like I said, like from Chattanooga. Yeah. Being a man and then coming into New England and just being a roll guy. Whether it's just coming in and playing with somebody hurt coming in and being like, the guy who will be who's Aaron doll. Yeah. Oh, my God. Practice squad. Yeah. You still have to play a role for the success of everybody. Yeah, absolutely. 100% you have to give.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 52:48

Yeah, and I think that's part of football that people some people to start understand. Right. It's, it's getting ready. You know, like you said, you're playing Aaron darnold, which is a huge, you know, tasks that knee? Yeah, that task needs to be done. Because if you're not ready for it, if the team's not ready for it. It doesn't, you know, yeah, you're not. You know, you're not feeling the confetti. Yep.

Keionta Davis: 53:08

Right. So that that was, like I said, that was my learning moment was okay. You can be in two different I can be two different people and still be successful. Yeah. And I think that kind of relates to life as well. Like, I think sports teaches most life lessons. And that's kind of like you don't have to always be the leader to win. Like, you can also be the the support person. Yeah. Because I can be the person who does the audio for this podcast. Yeah. This podcast. assessable is part I'm part of that I have to be the guy in the on the on the video guy, the main voice he knows. And so it's just kind of like get to understand, like, at certain points in life, you might have to be the role player, you might have to be the guy who comes off the bench, you might have to be the practice player,

Tom Regal: 53:53

you were some of the most important pieces, right? Everybody's important. Yeah. Even in a company, a business. That Yeah, some of the most important people, the guys that you know, are doing the right to keep the lights on and keep things moving. And everybody else kind of succeeds with that the team succeeds.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 54:09

Well, and also, I mean, another like, when you look back in the college days, what you were what you mentioned was in your senior year, you had to make sure that the guys behind you are looking at you, you're setting an example so that your impact isn't just you're gone that senior year in college, your impact is looking those people are looking back at how you acted. So those sophomores and those juniors are trying to figure out your you're leaving an impact on those guys on Okay, that's what that's what I need to be that's what I need to do that that's an incredibly important thing to be able to do.

Keionta Davis: 54:40

Right, definitely. Um, and, and I think the biggest talking about that we had a guy as a Mac, who ended up playing for the Titans played for the Patriots now with Denver Broncos, but he was a guy under me. And he was a guy like hothead, you know, you know, but it was like when things go wrong. I had talked to him and like He ought to tell him the world this man, great player, I think he's gonna do great in Denver. And like is one of the guys was like my young like my young girl, I got to watch him grow up and that's good thing. So I don't unlike his other guys other positions. So I know like not necessarily the guy who's still playing football but the guys who do other things in life like no one like I had some kind of impact or like, yeah, we had conversations, like I said, Now have conversations with my younger brothers and it's like is more mature conversation? Yeah, wow. Okay. Yeah, I know, I do something good enough. Yeah. Yeah. To so they know, they understand. I know, like, Okay, this what I'm doing is good enough. For what? I need to find a way to do this. Yeah, you know, we have those kind of conversations with people. It makes you even like as a, like, now as a dad, like, I want to have a conversation with my son and like to know, like, eventually, he'll come to me and like, you know, that, like, I'm thinking about doing this, or I'm thinking about doing that? Or how do I get an NFL I like, you know, having those conversations, I think those would be dope, like, yeah, by having those like, those are the life moments, I look forward to that stuff like that. Cool.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 55:59

So speaking of which, you are now a real estate agent. What made you decide to go into that field.

Keionta Davis: 56:04

So um, during my time playing football, one of my close friends, Josh Freeman, was always he was always like, the mastermind guy. So like, on the D line, he was gonna call it all the stunts and all the axes for us. He looked out a game plans. And that was him. So we kind of connected on that level, just because I needed to learn how to do that. Yeah. And he was a year above me. So he kind of, you know, we kind of sit down and same Yep, we gameplan everything together. So it kind of like translate over to like a business side of things. Like, well, let's, let's figure out how to gameplay in this, like business world. So we had a lot of conversations about things and all kinds of things that we wanted to do could do, like where we could be at in life if we just, you know, if we jumped into it, like something. Yeah. And so I was only and then I had, I had the money at the time to actually, like, start investing in this stuff and start to, you know, build. We had conversations about flipping houses and all kind of stuff like real estate investments, like multifamily homes, and you know, you know, doing like, also doing better for communities and giving back. Yeah, so we had conversations all the time about that. And you know, as I think the year to 2019 got hurt, I tore not home. I sprained my AC joint, my shoulder. And that's not like a bad injury. Like I was great once was like a two week thing. Yeah. Um, but I couldn't like, I didn't have any movement, and I had limited strength and a lot of pain. And after two weeks, there was like, well, I had to stay on IR cells. I owe you up to week eight. And when got two different opinions on it, it's like, Yeah, you got knee surgery. Yeah, cuz that bone spurs on pretty nice. So yeah, that was causing the pain. I couldn't even put like, deodorant on my right hand. Oh, yes. I was I was forcing myself I couldn't reach across my body. I couldn't do like a full push up. Really? It was hard. It was. It was terrible. Yeah, sleep was hard. Um, but you know, after the surgery, it was another eight, week eight to 10 week recovery. So it was easy. Yeah, it's done. So 2018 has had the whole season. So the whole season, we would just sit down have conversations about, like, what I can do after wallet. What can I do? What can I do? And labor real estate? And I was like, Yeah, that sounds good. Let's, let's lock in on it. You know? And so the conversations went from, from just conversations to actually putting things in motion like, yep, let's figure out let's make LLC exist. Let's do let's talk to people and figure out who we need to talk to to get their suit and talk to get that. And 2020 comes around, getting ready for the season. rehab and shoulder have no March. I mean, Arizona, everything says now. Yeah, yep, everything and the workout facilities. No, nothing. I'm in Arizona. I got this. Like house for another like month and a half. I was like, well, I already paid for I might as well just stay here. Yeah, I'll go anywhere. So I'm Arizona, just stuck out there. And we still talking about like, what can we do? Yeah, let's do this. This this we started put the plan together. And I go back up to New England in April, mid April. With a team after the draft. They released me I'm okay. Cool. You know, whatever, you know, they still quarantine so it's not like things I can just go Yeah, yeah, exactly. So the teams that even wanted me I couldn't go work. You know, so it was like this big gap of time where I didn't have no I like the workouts idea. We just worked like simple little workouts. Found places to workout at right outside.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 59:45

Yeah, do we can right,

Keionta Davis: 59:46

yeah, do what I can so and then that's when I moved back down to Nashville in June with my brother. I was like, Well, I'm not gonna be in that I'm not gonna be in New England. So I might as well just move close to home for a little bit, you know, be close to family. Just get some happens with COVID Yeah, I was here. And then I got I got to the point, I was like, You know what, maybe I'll just take this year off, and I'll just focus on some different you know, and that's what I kind of committed myself to, to finding what I wanted to do. What's the next step? Yeah. What's the next step? So, um, and it took me it took me some time to do that, because it was like, Okay, now I'm on a. I'm like, I'm not on the schedule anymore. I'm not on the regimen. Yeah. on my own.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 1:00:27

I was gonna ask you about I mean, you spent, you know, literally since school, you've been on a regimented program for most of your life. And then all of a sudden, you know, it's is that a hard transition? Probably never. We I mean, did you are you have to intentionally like write stuff down like you did with

Keionta Davis: 1:00:43

the depth? I mean, because it was hard just because I went from being a football player to I'm not a football player, or whatever. Yeah. Because for the longest, that's what I was identified us. And that's what people know me as most. Yeah. So I saw people not playing this year. It was like, I want to play you Sure. Sure. Sure. I was like, yeah. I mean, I'm still me. Like, like, everybody, like, I'm still me, like, I'm still you still come hang out with me. Like, yeah. So that was kind of like, it was kind of like, I have to, like, really sit there and think like, I really don't have I don't have, I do have an identity, but like, I wrapped a remake, like recreate my identity as Kathy Davis like, yeah, yeah. Kathy Davis as candidate was, like, nice. as anything else, but me. So that's kind of the space had to get to. And it took me a while to like, think about that. And like, understand that, like, I wasn't working out for a while. And I wasn't really given, like, doing the things I should do for like my body and things like that. And because just because it was like a part of me, like, I don't know what to do. Yeah, like, do I train as hard as I do football, to some different to have to work out every day or conscious, you know, and that was like a process for me. And that took me a while and just talking to people and took a lot of conversations to really understand like, I don't have to do those things anymore to validate me being like, who you are.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 1:02:05

Yeah. Are you self worth defined by how you define yourself? Now? It's not like you're saying it's the title of football player. The title was anything else. So

Keionta Davis: 1:02:13

it was definitely just reevaluating and re understanding like building a new regiment for myself like, Okay, well, when I get up in the morning, if I feel like we're gonna outwork or how not. So you have to like, don't put those demands on myself, because I don't really have to do those things. Yeah. And so there's really understanding that and changing my mindset like, bro, that you could really create, like, what helps you create, like, what helps you be empowered? I was like, working for myself. Well, okay, cool. So real estate. Yeah, I've been talking about this for longer. So I might as well jump into it. I'll get my license for I'm have more information about it. Yep, we started this business. And it will make more sense because I'm in it like, yep, yep. So that's why I was like, Okay, let's jump into and it's crazy, because I was calling. I looked up this company, and my friend gave me the information about the company. I was like, Okay, um, I just give a call. I'm like, Hey, I just want to information about real estate, like, yeah, whatever it was, it was. The lady ended up being the managing broker. My managing broker now JT terroir, I got a call on zoom. And we talked for over an hour like, and it was, it was a bit over an hour conversation. But yeah, it was like everything was clicking. Yeah. All the values that I wanted, they had, they was built. I mean, Zeitlin is built like a team. This other bs brand is worldwide. It was just so much that I was like, Man, this feels like I'm part of the team when? Yeah, like so. And she was like, Listen, you get your license, you get in to take classes, you get to license it to the CEO. And she was like, This is not supposed to be interview but you know, if you do all that, then we can probably put you on Team love. Okay, I do have to have to do to get done. So that's like a new purpose. Yeah, almost. Yeah, now I got my goal again. So now so that was how I kind of like redefined myself like now. I'll go on to say I'm doing this for me. I'm not doing this for nobody else. validation. I don't get for to impress a coach. I'm not doing this to put nothing on tape. I'm not doing this to be famous. Yeah, I'm just doing this for me because I want to do what I want to do. So that was that made me feel good. It's liberating

Kenny Bailey<br>: 1:04:32

to

Keionta Davis: 1:04:33

definitely be free. And in real estate, it's kind of like, I'm not on a contract. So I can't outperform a contract. Yeah, there's nothing holding you back. If this is what I want to do, and like it, just if I put in the work for it, and I do all those things, then I'm gonna get I'm gonna get what I want out of it. If I don't do the work, I'm not gonna get another another. So this is where to hold myself responsible. And it's also a way to, you know, say everywhere so pretty simple. Yeah,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 1:04:59

well You've you've had that practice your whole life. I mean, that's what you've The good news is you've you were able to prove that look, if I put it in, even through injury even through, you know, college that you weren't supposed to be at, but you're there anyway, through the injury and into the pros. Now, it's just another level for you to be able to apply that same discipline that you have in absolute, you're gonna be successful on that. I mean, you've shown it time and time again. You know, you're just, you're a winner.

Keionta Davis: 1:05:28

You like some people you see a lot and my dad can't go through this while I'm running through the wall. Anything will stop me like I forgot away. Yeah. And that and that's kind of been like exit. As you can see, like, that's been like the mentality, like the thing of my life. It's like, you get knocked down, get back up and going again, like, we will finally get through this. So that's kind of been like, what I kind of like Elmo downtimes my life where I'm like, feeling like bad or like, should I quit football? Whatever. I'm like, Well, you didn't make it worse than this. You know, you don't have to. Yeah, you know. Yeah. So like, those are the things I look back on those things. I try to tell people my bro like, just because things don't go your way don't necessarily mean it's over. Like there's like life has so many doors like because it's one lock. There's another one right there is like you can go through like you never know what's behind that next door.

Tom Regal: 1:06:12

Yeah. And you get that good support system with you that helps you kind of navigate all of that. It's it's being open to those opportunities when they show up like you were you were prepared to leave the NFL while you were in the NFL, which is what a lot of guys don't do. Right. Don't think past that. And then they have a hard time adjusting outside of it. So you had the smarts to, you know, start thinking what's going to be the next step. What am I going to do next? Right.

Keionta Davis: 1:06:35

I think my passion, like I said, I think you can't let what you do define you. You still have to be you. Yeah, like you have to be able to take off your like, Superman had to take off Superman be Clark and sometime like you have to be able to do that. Like you can't walk around Superman every day. But you can't do that. Because then you get stuck like I am Superman. Yeah. And that can't get Yeah, but who you really are. Yeah. So I think that's very important. Like as you doing like, whatever you're doing in life, like, define yourself. And everything you do, is defining who you are. Yeah. So the and I think that that helps. So much like you can get caught up in the NFL world like celebrity this and that this and that. It's never Who are you really? Yeah. You know, let who you are. shine through what you do, like not necessarily the other way around. Yeah, like it. Sorry, I

Kenny Bailey<br>: 1:07:25

think I think that's a great place to end. So how do people get ahold of you? If they want to get older?

Keionta Davis: 1:07:29

Yeah, you can, you can find me on silent calm. If you go to the agent profiles, type in john J. Davis, or you can type in Davis, because I know my first name is spelled ke o n TA. If you need to reach me, by phone, you can you can text or call me at 506865484 like I'm always on my phone, texting is probably easier. If I don't get your call, leave a voicemail, I will call you right back for you to talk about any real estate things you want to talk about. Even if it's not right now, if something like you want to do in the future, just go ahead and get that plan. You know, it's good to you know, know what you're getting into not just saying, you know, this is what I have to do, or, you know, this is the house I want, but like how do I get that make sure you're ready to get no spices and I feel like I can help. So anything you need.

Tom Regal: 1:08:20

Sweet. Cool, call them, text them. Find them. So thank you very much for being here. We really appreciate talking to you. It's great conversation. Absolutely. And everyone who who enjoys the show, please. You know, give us a five stars. Thumbs up some feedback. Thank you. I'm trying to smooth smoothies come to the recovery lounge, you know, check out try time, our endurance. We appreciate all that all of those, that feedback and the stars gives us a bump up in the algorithms which allows more people to find us. So thank you, everybody for all the feedback that you've given. And yeah, we'll we'll do this again soon. So thanks again. Counting Thank you go pass. Yeah, go pass.