Eric Davis

Eric Wayne Davis (born January 26, 1968) spent 13 seasons in the NFL as a cornerback, mostly with the San Francisco 49ers, who selected him in the second round of the 1990 draft. He played college football at Jacksonville State, then a Division II program, from 1986 to 1989. As a senior, Davis helped the Gamecocks go 13–1, win the Gulf South Conference, and reach the Division II championship game; that season he recorded 51 tackles, 8 pass deflections, and 6 interceptions. He was inducted into Jacksonville State’s athletic hall of fame in 1999. In 2008, Davis was elected to the Division II College Hall of Fame, and in 2013 he entered the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.

Davis signed a three-year, $950,000 rookie contract with the 49ers in July 1990, including a $250,000 signing bonus. An undisclosed injury cost him most of training camp, and he began his rookie season as a backup behind Don Griffin and Darryl Pollard. He made his NFL debut on September 10, 1990, against the New Orleans Saints, recording one solo tackle and two pass break-ups in a 13–12 win. In Week 6 he had four solo tackles in a 45–35 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. On December 9, 1990, Davis intercepted a Boomer Esiason pass with nine seconds left in regulation, sending the game into overtime; the 49ers won 20–17. He finished his rookie year with 21 combined tackles (20 solo), five pass deflections, a fumble recovery, and one interception in 16 games (zero starts).

In 1991, Davis was again slated as a backup until starter Darryl Pollard fractured his ankle in the final preseason game. After a competition with Kevin Lewis, Davis was named a starting cornerback alongside Don Griffin. He started the season opener against the New York Giants, recording five combined tackles (four solo) in a 14–16 loss, and had five solo tackles the next week against the San Diego Chargers. However, torn muscles in his left shoulder required surgery, and he was placed on injured reserve for the rest of the season after just two games and two starts, finishing with ten combined tackles (nine solo).

Davis entered the 1992 season as the No. 2 starting cornerback after Pollard, Lewis, and Mark Lee departed. He started all 16 games for the first time, totaling 61 combined tackles (58 solo), 12 pass deflections, three interceptions, and two fumble recoveries. In Week 3 he had nine solo tackles against the New York Jets. On September 27, 1992, he recorded five solo tackles, two pass deflections, a fumble recovery, and intercepted Bobby Herbert with 19 seconds left to seal a 16–10 win over the Saints.

In Week 7 he picked off Chris Miller in a 56–17 rout of the Falcons. The 49ers finished 14–2 and earned a first-round bye. In the NFC Divisional Round on January 9, 1993, Davis had four solo tackles, three pass deflections, and an interception of Mark Rypien in a 20–13 win over the defending champion Washington Redskins. In the NFC Championship Game on January 17, 1993, he made seven combined tackles (six solo) and a pass break-up, but the 49ers lost 30–20 to the eventual Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys.

In 1993, Davis and Griffin returned as starting cornerbacks. On October 3, 1993, Davis recorded three combined tackles, a career-high seven pass deflections, and returned an interception 41 yards for his first career touchdown, picking off Jim McMahon in a 38–19 win over the Minnesota Vikings. On October 17, 1993, he had five combined tackles (four solo), two pass deflections, and recovered a fumble by Emmitt Smith, returning it 4 yards for a touchdown in a 26–17 loss to the Cowboys. In Week 8 he set a season-high with ten combined tackles (nine solo) and two pass deflections.