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Bills RB Ray Davis earns national recognition for community work

Buffalo Bills rookie running back Ray Davis has been named the NFLPA Community MVP for Week 9.

Kyle Silagyi

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Buffalo Bills rookie running back Ray Davis has been named the NFLPA Community MVP for Week 9 after hosting 14 members of the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program for a tour of Highmark Stadium on October 22. Seven pairs of “bigs” and “littles” from the program’s local chapter were given a tour of the stadium and treated to a pizza party.

Davis, per the Bills’ official website, was a part of the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program in his youth, joining as a "little" when he was 16. The rookie rusher told the team’s website that showing members of the program that their dreams are within reach is crucial to him given his relationship with the association. 

"I think it's very important because as a lot of people say, there's not a lot of success stories in this world as we all hope and wish for and from what other people's words are, me and Patrick are one of the very few success stories that have made it out of Big Brothers, Big Sisters," Davis told writer Dorian Alerte. "That's something I want to continue to push … There's kids who need mentorship. There's kids who just need a role model … I think if they see that there's somebody there ,who's consistently wanting to push them to become a better version for themselves, then that's all you need."

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Davis, per the team’s website, is one of just four rookies to earn NFLPA Community MVP honors throughout the distinction’s 11-year existence; the Player’s Association is now set to make a $10,000 donation to a foundation of Davis’ choosing.

The adversity that Davis faced on his way to the NFL is well-documented; once homeless, he never let the seemingly insurmountable odds deter him, and he now wants to use his incredible journey to inspire children in situations similar to the one he was once in.

Ray Davi
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“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 during a recent appearance on Good Morning Football. "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.”

Davis’ story is just part of what’s prompted the Buffalo faithful to take a fast liking to him, as he’s quickly evolved into a fan favorite through the first eight games of his professional career. His Week 9 NFLPA Community MVP win is the first bit of national recognition he’s received for his community work, but given how demonstrably dedicated he is to being a positive role model, it likely won’t be the last.

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Kyle Silagyi
KYLE SILAGYI

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