A former face of the 49ers franchise has released a new memoir with a forward from Mike Singletay.
Longtime San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis has written a memoir, Playing Ball, that reflects on his journey to the NFL and how he has adjusted to life since retiring in 2020. Davis, who was the sixth overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft by the Niners and spent the majority of his career with San Francisco, talks about his tenure with the 49ers, including his famous back-and-fourth with then-head coach Mike Singletary that resulted in his “Can’t win with him,” speech. The book was officially released today by Kensington Publishing Corp.
“Weaving personal reflections with frank, real-world advice, this book is more than a memoir. It’s an eye-opening exploration of what winning – on the field and beyond – really means,” Davis said about the book in a press release. “In the book, I rewind the tape to reflect on my difficult upbringing, my career and competitive spirit – and the insights about teamwork, leadership, and responsibility that came in the aftermath of Coach Singletary’s press conference, spurring me to transform my life for the better.”
Davis’ career with the Niners got off to a rocky start. Drafted amidst a prolonged period of on-field struggles, particularly offensively, Davis struggled to make an impact early in his career. In 2008, during his third NFL season, he recorded just 358 receiving yards despite starting all 16 games. During a loss to the Seahawks in October of that season, Davis was called for an excessive celebration penalty that led Singletary to send him to the locker room and lambast him during a postgame press conference.
Following the incident, Davis’ approach to the game shifted and he soon became an integral part of the 49ers locker room. In 2009, Davis recorded 78 receptions for 965 yards and a league-leading 13 touchdowns. His breakout campaign earned him his first career Pro Bowl selection.
For most of the next five seasons, Davis was consistently the 49ers most dynamic pass-catching weapons. While Singletary would eventually be fired and replaced by Jim Harbaugh, who led the Niners to several deep postseason runs, Davis and Singletary remained close. Singletary, in fact, wrote the introduction to Davis’ memoir.
Since retiring, Davis has dived into media production. He has involved himself in both the film and music industries. He has worked on dozens of films behind the scenes and acted in a movie starring Mogran Freeman (The Ritual Killer) last year. He has also released a rap album titled “Showtime” under the stage name Vern.
You can order the book online or at your local bookstore. The memoir is currently available at several online retailers, including Bookshop and ThriftBooks.