Getty Davante Adams #17 of the Green Bay Packers runs for yards after a catch during the NFC Divisional Playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lambeau Field on January 16, 2021 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Rams 32-18.
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams will be getting more than one opportunity to shine in prime time this week.
Before the Green Bay Packers take on the Detroit Lions for Monday Night Football in Week 2, Adams will make his debut as the new NFL spokesperson for Courtyard by Marriott, the official hotel of the NFL, with his first commercial spot set to air during the broadcast of the Thursday Night Football game between the New York Giants and the Washington Football Team.
The commercial — dubbed “The Catch” — features Adams showing off the pass-catching skills that helped him earn All-Pro honors and etch his name into the Packers’ franchise record books during the 2020 season. He finished last season with 115 receptions for 1,374 yards and 18 touchdowns across 14 regular-season games.
“It means a lot,” Adams told Heavy.com of getting to star in his first commercial. “I’m kind of like Kobe [Bryant], I’ve always wanted to be remembered as the best to do it at what I do. … It just shows the work that I’ve put in, and the commitment I’ve had to my craft is showing through. People starting to recognize it is cool, and it’s exciting to show everybody why they should have been saying this for a while.”
Check out an early look at Adams’ new commercial before it airs below:
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Adams Proud to Represent NFL, Courtyard
During his interview with Heavy.com, Adams spoke about his new partnership with Courtyard by Marriott and the return of the Courtyard Super Bowl Sleepover Contest, a promotion that will allow one lucky fan and a guest to wake up on the morning of the Super Bowl inside SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Fans can enter for a chance to win by sharing their most memorable stories about how their passions for football and travel have intertwined, sharing it on social media with the hashtag: #CourtyardSuperBowlContest. Members of the Marriott Bonvoy Moments platform can also redeem their Marriott Bonvoy reward points for a variety of other NFL experiences throughout the season, including access to NFL kickoff celebrations and unique packages related to Super Bowl LVI, which will be played on February 13, 2022.
“When I had the opportunity to do this and found out that the sleepover contest was back, I was excited to be working with them and put a product out there that people would enjoy watching during games,” Adams said. “To know my name will be up for Courtyard by Marriott … and for all these commercials, it’s a great experience to have.”
Adams isn’t the first current Packers player to get some commercial or TV time outside of the game. Veteran quarterback and reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers has been starring in commercials for State Farm for several years now, including his newest one that features him as “an aspiring singer/songwriter with his bandmates.”
Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari also got the opportunity to guest star in the movie “Pitch Perfect 2” alongside former teammates Clay Matthews, T.J. Lang, Don Barclay and Josh Sitton. When asked if his football buddies had any acting tips for him, though, Adams made it clear he isn’t the one doing the learning.
“I’ve been coaching them up,” Adams joked.
Adams Putting Week 1 Loss Behind Packers
Of course, while fans will get to see Adams in action during commercials breaks on Thursday night and other game days throughout the season, the Packers’ No. 1 wide receiver will be busy putting all of his focus on the challenge that awaits him and his teammates this Monday night against the Lions.
The Packers were absolutely clobbered in their season opener against the New Orleans Saints last Sunday as Jameis Winston threw for five touchdowns and sent the highly-touted Packers back home with a 38-3 loss on the ledger. While Adams caught a team-high five passes for 56 yards, it did little to take away the sting of the blowout loss.
Don’t expect Adams or the Packers to spend much time lamenting their failures, though.
“It’s not really indicative of the team we have,” Adams said, referencing how Tampa Bay lost by the same margin (38-3) to the Saints in Week 9 last season before going on to beat them in the NFC divisional round of the playoffs and win the Super Bowl. “Everybody on this team realizes this. Stuff happens and it’s a long season, so we’ll be able to bounce back.”
Adams is a big part of the bounce-back process, and not just because he is one of the Packers’ most efficient weapons on offense. As an eight-year veteran in the NFL, Adams acts as a player-coach in the wideout room and does his best to impart wisdom upon some of his younger teammates, especially when it comes to the receiving technique that he has worked so hard mastering for himself.
“It’s a balance between me and the wideout coaches to get those guys right,” Adams said. “But we’ve got a mature room. I don’t have to do any of what I call big dogging, trying to make people feel a certain type of way. They can coach themselves at this point considering how consistently we are on them. I definitely do a great deal of coaching in the room, but it’s more technique.”