- October 06, 2026
- By John Tucker
Vernon Davis ’07 was a first-team all-American tight end, NFL Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion. Now he’s comfortable cheering in the stands at SECU Stadium for his son, freshman running back Jianni Davis.
They’ll both be on the field, however, for the Oct. 17 game vs. Rutgers, when Vernon will serve as the 2026 Homecoming grand marshal, the University of Maryland announced on Tuesday. The honor is bestowed on notable alums, leaders and other dignitaries to promote Maryland pride. Davis will be recognized at the game, participating in the coin toss. (The game will kick off at 12:30 p.m. and be televised on the Big Ten Network.)
“It’s going to be pretty cool to be standing on the same field I played on as a young man,” he said. “To have my son there watching it all will be a full-circle moment.”
Davis will rally Terps during other Homecoming week festivities from Oct. 14-17. On Friday, he’ll be at the Terp Carnival, where amid food, games, giveaways and a fireworks finale, fans can stop by for a meet-and-greet and scoop of the limited-edition Homecoming ice cream flavor created by the Maryland Dairy that he helped select. (It’s mocha ice cream with a white chocolate truffle swirl and chocolate cookie dough pieces.)
An exceptional receiver and blocker, Davis led the Terps in receptions and receiving yards in 2004 and 2005 and was inducted into the University of Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame in 2022.
He was the sixth overall pick of the 2006 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers and later played for the Denver Broncos and his hometown Washington Redskins. His 14-year career included 63 touchdowns, two Pro Bowl selections and a 2016 Super Bowl ring with the Broncos.
After retiring from the NFL in 2019, Davis became an actor playing more than two dozen roles with the likes of John Malkovich and Bruce Willis. As an executive producer, his credits include the TV series “Match Point” and “Union: Sitcom.” In 2020 he wowed audiences with foxtrots, tangos and cha chas as a “Dancing with the Stars” contestant.
Away from the screen, Davis owns multiple Jamba Juice franchises, flips houses and founded the Vernon Davis Foundation for the Arts to promote arts education for underserved youth. The organization has since been renamed the Vontae Family Foundation in honor of his late brother. It supports children and young adults through art, education, scholarships and vital resources.
“I grew up in a situation where I didn’t have much, and now that I have more, I think returning the favor is what you’re supposed to do,” he said.
Last year’s Homecoming marshal honor went to another NFL veteran, Domonique Foxworth ’04, and his wife, Ashley Foxworth ’06, a University of Maryland College Park Foundation trustee. Other recent marshals have included triple jumper Thea LaFond Gadson ’15 and basketball player Alyssa Thomas ’14, who both won gold medals at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Before the program was revived several years ago, grand marshals included Muppets creator Jim Henson ’60, Kermit the Frog and Sweetums (1979); boxer Sugar Ray Leonard (1982); and Olympics gymnast Dominique Dawes ’02 (2003).
Vernon Davis '07 during his Terps football days. (Photo by Maryland Athletics)
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