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IRVING, Texas - What a whirlwind the last few months have been for Keith Davis.
In fact, you could take it back the last few years as well and the Cowboys' safety has quite a story.
And it's not like we're at the ending of it. If Davis has his way, he's just right in the middle of it. But make no mistake, his football career has already endured plenty of ups and downs.
Fortunately for Davis, there have been way more "ups" this year, including yet another notch that went his way on Thursday when his teammates voted him for the annual Ed Block Courage Award, a league-wide honor given to one player from each team that displays the courage and toughness to return from physical hardships.
Actually, the award was voted on for Davis battling through a pectoral injury all of last year. But if that's the case, he just might be a repeat winner next year because the sixth-year safety has been nothing short of courageous here this season.
Davis, who didn't practice Thursday because of both a sprained knee and a shoulder injury, is expected to play Saturday night against the Ravens.
In fact, with this latest award, Davis joked Thursday that there's no way he can miss the game now.
"No way. No way I can sit out this week," Davis said. "It does mean a lot. This season itself has been so tough for me, just battling through injuries. But through the grace of God, it's really been a blessing for me to be able to go out and compete each week."
Davis injured his knee against the Steelers two weeks ago, but came back in the second half to finish the game. He started last week against the Giants but went to the locker room before halftime with a sprained shoulder. But after X-rays were negative, Davis quickly got back on the field and played the entire second half.
Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips has only coached Davis for the last two years, but that's long enough to develop quite an appreciation for the safety and his ability to fight through the pain. While Davis was voted a special teams captain for his leadership, Phillips said that continuing to play, despite injury, can have positive effects throughout the team.
"It's an example of toughness. Some players lead by example and he's one of those guys," Phillips said. "He's a vocal leader, too. When you're banged up and you're still going to play and everyone knows you're going to play at a high level, the best you can play, I think it's a good example for the young players."
Apparently, they've taken notice. And not just with his toughness but overall leadership. The Cowboys voted him a team captain less than a week after he re-joined the team after he was released by the Dolphins.
Davis, who played in 2002 for the Cowboys, and then four more years from 2004-07, signed with the Dolphins as an unrestricted free agent, joining the forces of Bill Parcells, Tony Sparano and the Cowboys contingent who flocked to Miami. Davis had the hope he would finally get the chance to become a starting safety.
Instead, Davis got hurt in training camp and by the time he returned to action, the Dolphins were headed in a different direction. It looked like he would be relegated to special teams again. And that wasn't exactly a bad thing, considering Davis had been the Cowboys' best special teams player the last four seasons and has twice been the first alternate for the NFC Pro Bowl squad as a special teams ace.
But if all he was going to play was on special teams, then Davis would've never left the Cowboys in the first place. And the Dolphins knew that, prompting them to release Davis, who quickly latched back on with the Cowboys.
Less than a week later, he's walking out for the coin toss in Cleveland as one of the team's captains.
Davis was honored then because the teammates vote for captains, just like they do for the Ed Block Courage Award, named in honor of the longtime athletic trainer of the Baltimore Colts. Block was considered a pioneer in his profession and a respected humanitarian.
Each year, all 32 teams vote for one winner, usually based on injuries overcome from the previous year.
"It means a great deal. The biggest thing to me is that it's voted on by your teammates. If you look around, it gives me appreciation for the fact that these guys see how hard I play the game. No matter what's going on, if it's something I can fight through, I'm always going to get out there and give my all."
And from the looks of things, his "all" has been good enough to help the Cowboys' defense turn the corner here in the second half of the season.
Davis has started the last seven games, replacing Roy Williams, who has been out for the season with a broken forearm.
Whether or not he won the job or is starting due to injury, Davis has wanted to be a starter for the longest time. So he's relishing the opportunity.
And therefore, it's going to take a lot more than just a few injuries to keep him out of the lineup.
"Yeah, and that pushes me even more, knowing that I have an opportunity," Davis said. "You can't be hurt. You can't say 'this is bothering me, that's bothering me.' If there is any way possible for me to be on the field, I'm going to be out there."
And there are a few more reasons why Davis won't be missing Saturday's game. Not only does he want to make sure the Cowboys go out a winner at Texas Stadium, but he wants to shine against who he considers to be the NFL's best safety - Baltimore's Ed Reed.
"Oh yea, I enjoy that - going against the best and seeing those guys firsthand," Davis said of Reed, and Pittsburgh's Troy Polamalu, who faced the Cowboys two weeks ago. "You watch them on film and you watch them on tape all the time, but to see them firsthand and see the things they do on the field and how they're able to be so productive. It's a good feeling to be on the same field competing against those guys."
And he'll definitely be out there - whether he's writhing in pain or not.
The Ed Block Courage Award is named in honor of Ed Block, the longtime head athletic trainer of the Baltimore Colts who was a pioneer in his profession and a respected humanitarian.
Award?
Fitting this week?
Goal-wise, where you wanted to be?
Yeah, and that pushes me even more, knowing that I have an opportunity. You can't be hurt. You can't say 'this is bothering me, that's bothering me.' If there is any way possible for me to be on the field, I'm going to be out there.
How about playing against guys like Polamalu and Ed Reed?
I enjoy that - going against the best and seeing those guys firsthand. You watch them on film and you watch them on tape all the time, but to see them firsthand and see the things they do on the field and how they're able to be so productive. It's a good feeling to be on the same field competing against those guys.
How good are those two?
Unbelievable. Both of those guys play the game great. You've got Brian Dawkins next week. To see all these guys firsthand, it really gives you a true respect for what they do and how hard they play the game.
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Nick Eatman - 
