San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis has taken pen to paper to explain why he's holding out.
Less than a week after saying he'd attend the team's mandatory minicamp, Davis has reversed course, taking over Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback to write: "It's all about getting paid what you deserve. It's not that complicated."
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday that Davis will indeed be absent from camp when it opens Tuesday, per a source with knowledge of the player's plans.
With two years remaining on his six-year, $42.7 million deal, Davis argued that he's playing at a higher level than ever before and said his teammates would agree with his stance.
"I want the 49ers to win the Super Bowl, and I want to be on the field this summer working towards that goal, but I have to worry about my future first. Most of my teammates and many players in the NFL understand that. A few don't," Davis wrote.
"Behind closed doors, they'll say they're all about the team and would run through a brick wall for the organization. But when you look closer, they're doing things to contradict themselves. I can't listen to anyone but my family and my advisors, because those are the people who are going to be there when football inevitably dumps me."
Davis is looking toward the future, beyond his playing days, something he says plenty of his fellow athletes fail to do.
"Too many players spend their money on cars they don't drive and homes they barely live in," Davis said. "I've had veterans on their second contract ask me for money."
Niners fans might not like it, but Davis is serious about getting paid.
In the latest edition of the "Around The League Podcast," the heroes talk "Hard Knocks" before delving into a new batch of rookie whispers.