Rookie RB Ray Davis details his inspiring motivation for playing, praises Bills fans

Buffalo Bills rookie running back Ray Davis spoke about his reason for playing during a recent appearance on Good Morning Football.

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There has been an identity shift in the Buffalo Bills' offensive attack since offensive coordinator Joe Brady took over as play-caller midway through the 2023 season, with a greater emphasis being placed on the run game outside of quarterback Josh Allen. The Bills have found success on the ground through seven games this year thanks to improved offensive line performance, consistency from running back James Cook, and, perhaps most encouragingly, the emergence of fourth-round draft pick Ray Davis.

Davis has rushed for 138 yards over his past two games, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. He's added another 61 yards in the air on four catches, including a 42-yard grab on an Allen scramble drill in Week 6. He scored his second touchdown this season in the Bills' 34-10 dismantling of the Tennessee Titans; thanks to the excellence of his play over the two games, he has not only grabbed the attention of Bills fans, but now the national media, as well. He made an appearance on NFL Network's Good Morning Football Tuesday morning and talked about his journey to the NFL; once homeless, Davis now strives to be a role model for children in similar situations to look up to.

Related: Bills must get stellar rookie RB more involved in offense

“I think, for me, it was about, at the end of the day, everybody goes through adversity, everybody faces challenges that they feel like they can or cannot overcome, and I understood the position that I was in, that if I were to give up, who would be an advocate for kids?" Davis said. "Who would be a spokesman? Who could be a mentor? Who could be a role model? And I felt like that was, at the age of 12 and at the age of 14, 15, so forth on, I was going to have to be that role model. I was going to take the lead and to show everybody that there is a way, there is a possibility to achieve what you want.

"It may not be the most easiest ride, but at the end of the day, there might be a lot of bumps and bruises, but you’ll make it there. You’ll get there. I just kind of kept putting my head down and understanding that every adversity that came towards me, I’ve got to face it. There’s no running away. If I ran away, I wouldn’t be here today. I wouldn’t be able to have this voice, this platform, just this ability to showcase a new world where no matter who tells you you can’t make it, if you live by what you believe in, you will achieve anything you want to achieve.”

Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

It’s an inspiring motivation for the 24-year-old, who is eager to show kids in need of any sort of hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Davis went on to talk about Buffalo fans, giving the team a hat tip for their energy during the team’s Week 7 win.

"We have the best fanbase in the world, not one of the best, we have the best fanbase in the entire world," the rookie said of Bills fans. "Bills Mafia is crazy. I've said it before, they love seeing special people, we got special guys on this field. So, you know, to see them day in and day out, coming in there and providing that spark and energy for us has definitely been amazing."

There definitely was a lot of energy in Orchard Park last Sunday. The Bills returned home after nearly a month removed from Highmark Stadium, their last home game being the 47-10 beatdown of the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 23rd. The Bills are now 3-0 at home this season, averaging 38 points per game across those wins. It's safe to assume that the passion Bills fans bring plays a vital role in Buffalo's success at home this season. Davis will have his next opportunity to play in front of the Buffalo faithful when the Bills host the Miami Dolphins on November 3rd.

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