Rashied Davis

Davis signed with the San Jose SaberCats of the Arena Football League (AFL) in 2002 and played as a wide receiver and cornerback. Davis missed much of the SaberCats' 2002 ArenaBowl championship season due to injury and joined the team practice squad after recovery.[5] Davis debuted professionally in 2003 with the SaberCats.[6] His best years came in 2004 and 2005, in which Davis emerged as one of the team's most productive players, posting a team leading 1,785 all-purpose yards. In 2005, Davis scored 44 touchdowns and 264 points as a return specialist and wide receiver. He caught 100 passes for 1,420 yards and 30 touchdowns, which was a franchise record, and also scored eight rushing touchdowns. Davis's feats earned him recognition as the team's most valuable player and offensive player of the year.[7]

Despite his success in the AFL, Davis ventured into the National Football League in hopes of finding a new career. He tried out for the San Francisco 49ers, but failed to make the team. The Oakland Raiders planned to offer Davis a contract, but later retracted their offer.[1] The Chicago Bears finally signed Davis to a contract in 2005. He initially started his career as a cornerback, but was converted into a wide receiver with two interceptions before the 2006 season.

Davis had to work very hard to adapt to the rigors of being an NFL wide receiver. Rex Grossman, then the team's starting quarterback, claimed Davis was one of the team's hardest workers in the 2006 offseason.[8] Despite being overshadowed by more experienced wide receivers like Muhsin Muhammad, Bernard Berrian, and Mark Bradley, he proceeded to stun critics and skeptics by emerging as one of the Bears' most productive assets in the 2006 preseason, including a 100-yard touchdown return on August 18, 2006. His preseason success earned him a spot on the Bears' starting roster, making him one of the three receivers in a regular three wide receiver set.

During the 2006 season, Davis amassed 303 yards for two touchdowns on 22 receptions. He made many clutch receptions during the season; catching a game-winning touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings during week three, and later an overtime reception that set up a game-winning field goal in week fourteen against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Arguably, his most important catch came in the Divisional Round of the 2006 playoffs, when he caught another overtime pass that set up the game's winning field goal, allowing the Bears to advance to the NFC Championship. After the Bears won the NFC Championship over the New Orleans Saints, Davis caught one pass for 2 yards and returned one kick for 15 yards in Super Bowl XLI. Davis only caught 17 passes during the 2007 season, and primarily played on the Bears special teams unit.

A restricted free agent in the 2008 offseason, Davis signed his one-year, $1,927,000 tender offer on April 18. Davis caught a career-high 35 passes, for 445 yards and 2 touchdowns. At one point during the 2008 season, the Bears were prepared to use Davis as a reserve cornerback due to several injuries in their secondary.[9] During the 2009 preseason, Davis was locked in fierce competition with Devin Aromashodu and Brandon Rideau for a spot on the team's final 53-man roster.[10] Despite only catching three passes during the entire preseason, Davis, a key special teams contributor, beat out Rideau for the final wide receiver spot.[11] Davis only recorded five receptions during the entire 2009 season, and spent most of his time on special teams. Davis continued to be a regular member of the Bears special teams in 2010.[1] He finished the 2010 season with nine receptions, for 84 yards and one touchdown.

On July 29, 2011, Davis signed with the Detroit Lions, where he was expected to see most of his playing time on special teams while also adding depth at the wide receiver position.[12]

During a 2011 game against the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving, Davis filled in at cornerback, as the Lions had suffered a rash of injuries in the secondary. It was the first time he had played the position since 2005, as a player for the Bears. He finished the game with two tackles.[13] Davis finished the 2011 season with four receptions, seven tackles, and two kick returns.

On August 6, 2012, Davis signed a one-year contract with the Bears after Devin Thomas retired.[14] On August 29, Davis was waived by the team.[15]

On July 25, 2013, Davis was assigned to the SaberCats.[16] In the SaberCats' final regular season game on July 27, a 65–40 win over the Chicago Rush, Davis returned one kick for 17 yards.[17] On July 29, the SaberCats placed Davis on injured reserve.[18]