Carlton Davis III was once a cornerstone of the Buccaneers defense. Things weren’t always perfect, but he had a penchant for delivering big performances in big moments — a trait that made him a fan favorite in Tampa Bay.
His best, and most memorable game in a Bucs uniform came in the 2020 NFL Divisional Round, when he held rival Michael Thomas to zero catches in a Bucs win in New Orleans en route to Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl LV victory. He took to social media after the game to taunt Thomas and the Saints, which only added fuel to the rivalry and made the fanbase love him even more.
@Cantguardmike I bodied you 3 games in a row lil dude in cover 1 goofball ! And ima dawg yo lil ass again next year so you better work on them routes !
— C-Murda ™ (@Carlton_Lowkey) January 25, 2021
Another one of his best games came in 2022, when he was tasked with shadowing one of the NFL’s best wide receivers in Ja’Marr Chase and held him to three catches for 32 yards on eight targets while also recording an interception. Davis’ performance was so dominant that Chase called him the best cornerback he’s ever played against.
Carlton Davis aligned across from Ja'Marr Chase on 33 of 40 routes in Week 15 (83% shadow).
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) December 19, 2022
Davis limited Chase to just 3 receptions on 8 targets in coverage for 32 yards with an INT, forcing 5 tight windows (T-2nd most of any WR-DB matchup this season).#CINvsTB | #GoBucs pic.twitter.com/bqxrQeccO8
That was always the Carlton Davis experience in Tampa Bay: when the assignment was biggest, he usually rose to the occasion.
The only reason the Buccaneers ever moved on from Davis was durability concerns.
In his six seasons in Tampa Bay, Davis never played a full season. The team ultimately traded him to the Detroit Lions for what they felt was strong value, acquiring a third-round pick that they used to select Jalen McMillan. Even in his lone season in Detroit, Davis played in just 13 games.
Carlton Davis is still delivering in big moments for the Patriots
Now with the New England Patriots after signing a massive three-year $60 million contract last offseason, Davis rose to the occasion in a big moment yet again, helping lead New England to the AFC Championship Game with one of the best performances of his career.
Carlton Davis III with an unreal INT for the Patriots 😮
— ESPN (@espn) January 18, 2026
Texans-Patriots on ABC, ESPN and the ESPN App pic.twitter.com/68veU59UwO
Davis snagged two interceptions off Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud and played a major factor in the victory. In addition to his two interceptions, he allowed just three catches on eight targets.
Davis did draw a pair of pass interference calls against him, but that comes with the territory of his handsy, physical playstyle. While not ideal, New England can live with those calls if he’s otherwise going to be a lockdown cornerback and create takeaways for the defense.
Davis earned an elite 84.4 PFF grade, making him the third-highest graded player on the Patriots’ defense.
Entering the game, Davis had not recorded an interception all season, but true to his nature, he saved his best performance for the biggest moment.
This season in New England, Davis also quietly checked an important box: for the first time in his career, he played all 17 games in the regular season — a potential sign that those durability concerns might finally be behind him.
Of course, the Carlton Davis experience has always come with some risk. Even in the midst of his dominant performance against Houston, Davis left the game early with a head injury that could sideline him for the AFC Championship game.
But the story has always been the same.
Davis is an undeniably high-effort, highly competitive player you want on your team, especially when the lights are brightest. He carries some risk, and he may not always be available, but when his team needs him the most in the biggest moments, he has a habit of rising to the occasion.