As the New England Patriots gear up for their Super Bowl LX showdown with the Seattle Seahawks, there’s a steadying presence in their locker room who’s been here before-and won. Cornerback Carlton Davis isn’t just another veteran voice; he’s a Super Bowl champion who knows firsthand what it takes to navigate the chaos leading up to the NFL’s biggest stage.
Davis was part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that throttled the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9 in Super Bowl LV. That experience isn’t just a line on his résumé-it’s a blueprint he’s now sharing with a young Patriots team looking to make its own mark.
Speaking during NBC’s Super Bowl coverage, Davis made it clear: the days leading up to the game can be a minefield of distractions. And his message to his teammates is simple-lock in.
“There’s so much going on,” Davis said. “The media, the interviews, the clout, the fame-everyone’s boosting your head up.
You’ve got family members asking for tickets. It gets crazy.
I just want the guys to know: we’ve got to stay in this process. We’ve loved the grind all season, and now’s the time to double down.
Stay focused. Limit the distractions.
That’s the biggest thing.”
It’s the kind of advice that carries weight, especially in a locker room that leans young in the secondary. Pro Bowl corner Christian Gonzalez, one of New England’s rising stars, says Davis has been exactly the kind of leader the team needed.
“CD’s done a great job coming into the room,” Gonzalez said. “He’s that veteran presence we needed.
We’re a young group, and having someone who’s been there, who’s won it, it means a lot. I’ve leaned on him-asked him what the playoffs feel like, what the Super Bowl feels like.
He’s a voice in this locker room, and a lot of guys listen to him.”
Davis isn’t the only Patriot with championship pedigree. Wide receiver Mack Hollins and defensive tackle Milton Williams also bring Super Bowl experience, while head coach Mike Vrabel-no stranger to the big game himself-won three rings as a linebacker with the Patriots. That kind of leadership, from the sideline to the secondary, is invaluable in a moment like this.
“I know what it did for my life, for my teammates’ lives,” Davis said. “Like Vrabel told us-it’s a life-changing game.
I felt that. I lived that.
And now, I want my teammates and this organization to feel that too. I’m going to work as hard as I can to help make that happen.”
This trip to the Super Bowl will have a different feel for Davis compared to his first. Super Bowl LV took place under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, with strict protocols limiting media access, fan engagement, and even family involvement.
“Man, just being able to share this experience with my family, my friends, the community, the fans-it means everything,” Davis said. “Last time, during COVID, everything was bottled up.
We couldn’t do certain things. Even the media stuff, we were in little rooms doing Zoom interviews.
It just wasn’t the same. This time, I want to soak it all in.
I want to feel the full Super Bowl vibes.”
Kickoff for Super Bowl LX is set for 5:30 p.m. CST on February 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
For Davis and the Patriots, the stakes couldn’t be higher-but neither could the opportunity. With experienced voices like his guiding the way, New England is aiming not just to show up-but to finish the job.