CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — You know the name and his play on the field. Thomas Davis went sideline to sideline for 16 years in the NFL, and it seems like he’s moving faster since retiring.
“For me, retirement was just me walking away from football,” adds Davis. “I feel like with all the stuff I was already doing as a player, I just transitioned over to doing more of that stuff.”
Davis is already giving back to the youth in Charlotte with the Thomas Davis Defending Dreams Foundation, he owns an arena league football team, and now he is tackling a new venture, restaurant owner. Tap and Vine at Stonecrest is the first of two places that will be opening soon.
“It’s an excellent feeling because I’ve always been in the service industry when I think about myself as a player,” said Davis. “Giving back to the community. It’s amazing food, an amazing experience, and I feel like this is one of the best eating experiences that you can have in the city of Charlotte.”
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Creating new experiences is what Davis says this post football life has been about. He also says the restaurant is a way to expand his portfolio and his reach in the community.
The hope is that the youth that he mentors see it as a way to keep pursuing their dreams.
“You don’t have to be excellent or great at one thing,” says Davis “You can excel in multiple facets of your life, and this is something I’m trying to show them that it is possible by making this restaurant thing work.”
Davis says he hopes to have a sports bar, named TD-58 open near Bank of America Stadium open in two weeks as well.