Davis no stranger to big games

Published on January 21, 2007 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release

This afternoon's NFC Championship wasn't the first big game that Bears WR Rashied Davis played in. Davis helped the San Jose SaberCats claim their second ArenaBowl title in three years by breaking up a potential game-winning touchdown pass in the end zone of ArenaBowl XVIII in 2004. Davis, who caught 46 passes for 484 yards, recorded 44 tackles and snagged three interceptions that season, was named to the 2004 AFL All-Ironman Team.

Rashied was a two-way player his first two years (03-04) with the team and 'Cats head coach Darren Arbet challenged him to concentrate only on offense in '05 due to the retirement of James Hundon. Within the first week of training camp in '05, that challenge hit a bump in the road as Davis fractured a bone in his hand. What did he do? He switched to defense since he couldn't catch with a cast on his hand. Never missing a start and eventually returning to offense, he played all 14 games in 2005, ending up with 100 catches for 1,420 yards and 30 touchdowns.

Here are a few games that showcased the reason the Bears front office took notice...

1) In Colorado on April 22, 2005, six of his nine catches were for touchdowns...two of which were 45-yarders. Add in another 40-yarder and the other six grabs, he amassed 182 yards receiving that game. Another score on a run gave him seven TDs for the game.

2) On March 18, 2005 as the SaberCats hosted the Grand Rapids Rampage, he recorded 341 all-purpose yards, 3rd most in team history. Davis took two kickoff returns to the house on his way to 235 kickoff return yards. The other 106 yards came through the air and ground, with 105 and one yard, respectively.

3) The very next week in Las Vegas, he had 302 all-purpose yards to become the only SaberCat with three 300 all-purpose yard games in a season. He again scored seven TDs, tying the team single-game record, including three rushing TDs.

He set team records with 44 total TDs and 264 points in '05.

Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from January 21, 2007

• Davis no stranger to big games - AFL I

The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.