July 3, 2023 • 8 mins
Wayne Larrivee sits down with former Green Bay Packers cornerback Davon House to reminisce on being drafted just before the 2011 lockout (0:41), making a stop in Jacksonville and helping Jalen Ramsey learn how to be a pro (5:17), and how lucky he felt to return to Green Bay (06:53).
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
For more than a century, the Green Bay Packers have
been a benchmark for football excellence. Thousands of players have
helped pave the way, and we're here to tell you
their stories. I'm Wayne Laravie. This is the Packers alumni
Spot White. The road to the NFL is never easy.
(00:25):
Some have to overcome more than others. Devon House was
a walk on in New Mexico state where you overcame
a lifelong battle with dyslexia. Fourth round draft choice of
the Packers, he joined the defending Super Bowl champions as
a rookie in twenty eleven. Yeah, man, it was.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Crazy, especially like I said, we were locked out, So
you know, I get drafted and I'm at home waiting.
That probably really psyched, you know because I you know,
it was drafted, but not feeling like I'm drafted, working
out on my own because I couldn't come to the facilly,
you know, to get to dive into playbook or you know,
get to explore Lambeau and you know, July or May
(01:06):
that time, so just at home working out. Then eventually like, hey,
we're not locked out, no more than around have been
maybe around a twenty from twenty so we fly to
Green Bay, and you know, I really didn't know what
to expect, you know, out there just running around room
full of you know, veterans Woodson, Williams, Patrick Lee, Jerry Bush.
(01:29):
So I was really out there just shining, get my
feet wet.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
How did they because they're Super Bowl champions, How did
they treat a rookie coming in a fourth round draft
choice like you? What was it like in the dB room?
As you mentioned Ed Woodson, you had Tremont Williams and
then you know Nick Collins was in that room, and
they were some great, great players.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
It was awesome. Actually, you hear stories about how other
teams street rookies and green As not like that, which
is a great thing. You know. They treated you like
your like you're a man, like you're a human. So
it was good. They you know, took me onnyth their
wing and you know, try to show me the ropes
as much as they could. B At the same time,
you know, it was on me to be prepared, to
be ready and try to learn as much as I
(02:14):
can learn.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
A team went fifteen to one and got to the playoffs.
Is the number one seed? What was that team like?
What was I know, you guys were struggling defensively that year,
but everything was going so well offensively that and you
guys were blowing people out. The expectation going to the
playoffs had to be sky high.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Almost definitely. I will never forget first first game in
the year, playing the Saints at home, right, Renolds scores a.
Reynolds rooking with me, Cob scores a part return to
the house. We're like, Dan, it's awesome. We end on
like a dive in play a. Oh no, I think
we stopped them. Maybe we might have held them. They
tried to dive in and zone.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
It was. It was.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
That game was amazing. Obviously the Packer fans showed out.
So my first game, I'm like, goys, this this is
this is it? Like, this is awesome. The games go by,
we win last I think in the last second field
goal in New York we're steamrolling teams left and right.
Then it might have been weak, you know. Week ten,
I'm having a conversation with Drive about, Hey, you think
we go undefeed it so man, that's a hard thing
(03:16):
to do. I'm like, think we were killing everyone. What
are you talking about? Then we then we play Kansas City,
can't see we played Orton. I think again we played
them earlier in the year. I'm like, oh, we're gonna
kill this team, like we were already play this quarterback
he got Kupp and Aaron I was playing for KC
And think a mout have lost like thirteen seven or
thirteen six, something crazy like that. And that that hurt
(03:37):
because the expectations like, hey, we're not gonna lose a game,
you know, because every week Aaron's putting up forty plays,
getting sack sacks left and right. Woodson is getting picks
left and right. We're dominating everyone. You know, that that
happens we lose. That hurt a little bit. But then
I think a week or two later, Matt Flynn puts up,
you know, six touchdowns against Detroit last game the year.
(03:58):
It snowing. All right, we're back on track and we
played a good New York team. I actually want to
Suit Bowl that year, and I can remember one or
two plays defensively. If it doesn't happen, you know, we
probably could have won. I think they may even they
might even caught it like a hell Mary right before halftime.
So that doesn't help either.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
But yeah, that's how it going into into that game,
there had been some personal tragedy on the Packers staff.
Joe philb and the offensive coordinator, his son died in
an act tragic accident. How much did that have an
impact on you guys emotionally maybe going into that Giants game?
(04:40):
It was.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
It was an impact for sure, you know, because, like
like we said before, you know, like how everyone says
about groming, this is a big family thing, and when
that happened, especially me as a rookie, I'm like, dang,
we're still trying to move on. We're not gonna, you know,
really like sit around and like you know, but yeah,
we moved on and we we you know, we were
up and we were ready to play. But it's tough
(05:02):
trying to get over something like that.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Devon went on to sign a lucrated free agent contract
with the Jacksonville Jaguars in twenty fifteen, and he played
there for a couple of seasons before returning to Green Bay.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Yeah, so get the Jacksonville. Jackson was gonna give me
a chance of like say give me the keys, Like, hey,
you're gonna come here, You're gonna start right away, and
you're gonna be the guy. It was amazing. I loved
that I learned so much as about myself as a
man trying to take control of a room. Some that
woods in in you know, Tremon did and I learned
a lot from those guys, the same things that they
(05:39):
taught me. I taught those younger guys. I was fortunate
enough after my first year to have Jayla Ramsey come in,
who is arguably one of the best cornerbacks in the game,
if not the best behind Jay Year obviously, but no,
I've I was able to pour into them what I
was pouring into me. Us was an amazing guy. Uh
(06:02):
care more about you first? Wanted to know more about
you first. Then you know, everything else took care of
yourself because if we got together in a personal love
like hey, your name, what's your wife's name? How many
kids you have? He felt like it made you want
to play harder for him, and most day most definitely
made me do that.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
You eventually came back to Green Bay. How did that happen?
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Yeah, decided to leave Jacksonville and I came down to
Pittsburgh and Green Bay. It was a hard decision. It
was hard decision to say no to Pittsburgh. They actually
offered me more money and all, but I just feel
like Green May was the place I needed to be.
You know, Joe was still here, Buddy darn Barclay was
still here, wife, kids loved it here, and Green Bay
(06:42):
was like home.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
You know.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
So I decided to come back.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
You know, eight year career six with the Packers. What
resonates with you this day about your career and especially
Green Bay? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Man, And I tell people all this time, I'm lucky,
like really am lucky. Like I could have been drafted
to Philly and my career could have been easily two years.
And I'm done, like blessed by me to be able
to sit and watch for a year, right because I
wasn't ready and some people are just throwing the fire
because of the way they are drafted, you know what
I mean, or because people get hurt or whatnot. I
(07:15):
was able to learn, I was able to mature. I
was able to grow as a man and as a player.
I mean, I was banked up a little bit, but
people are you know, tearing ACL's concussions all this stuff
and everything just fell kept falling perfect for me. And
that's even with the points of like, hey, me watching me,
just playing special teams, me playing a little bit of nickel,
me starting a few games, and then me becoming a
(07:37):
guy eventually. So just kept kept putting my head down,
kept working, and then all had planned out for me.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Ninety percent of the players in pro sports have to
be fortunate enough to find the right situation, the right
coach who believes in him. House found that in position
coach Joe Witt Junior in Green Bay, and Devon carved
out an eight year NFL career, six with the Packers,
and in twenty twenty he returned to Green Bay once
(08:07):
more to officially retire as a Packer
For more than a century, the Green Bay Packers have
been a benchmark for football excellence. Thousands of players have
helped pave the way, and we're here to tell you
their stories. I'm Wayne Laravie. This is the Packers alumni
Spot White. The road to the NFL is never easy.
(00:25):
Some have to overcome more than others. Devon House was
a walk on in New Mexico state where you overcame
a lifelong battle with dyslexia. Fourth round draft choice of
the Packers, he joined the defending Super Bowl champions as
a rookie in twenty eleven. Yeah, man, it was.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Crazy, especially like I said, we were locked out, So
you know, I get drafted and I'm at home waiting.
That probably really psyched, you know because I you know,
it was drafted, but not feeling like I'm drafted, working
out on my own because I couldn't come to the facilly,
you know, to get to dive into playbook or you know,
get to explore Lambeau and you know, July or May
(01:06):
that time, so just at home working out. Then eventually like, hey,
we're not locked out, no more than around have been
maybe around a twenty from twenty so we fly to
Green Bay, and you know, I really didn't know what
to expect, you know, out there just running around room
full of you know, veterans Woodson, Williams, Patrick Lee, Jerry Bush.
(01:29):
So I was really out there just shining, get my
feet wet.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
How did they because they're Super Bowl champions, How did
they treat a rookie coming in a fourth round draft
choice like you? What was it like in the dB room?
As you mentioned Ed Woodson, you had Tremont Williams and
then you know Nick Collins was in that room, and
they were some great, great players.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
It was awesome. Actually, you hear stories about how other
teams street rookies and green As not like that, which
is a great thing. You know. They treated you like
your like you're a man, like you're a human. So
it was good. They you know, took me onnyth their
wing and you know, try to show me the ropes
as much as they could. B At the same time,
you know, it was on me to be prepared, to
be ready and try to learn as much as I
(02:14):
can learn.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
A team went fifteen to one and got to the playoffs.
Is the number one seed? What was that team like?
What was I know, you guys were struggling defensively that year,
but everything was going so well offensively that and you
guys were blowing people out. The expectation going to the
playoffs had to be sky high.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Almost definitely. I will never forget first first game in
the year, playing the Saints at home, right, Renolds scores a.
Reynolds rooking with me, Cob scores a part return to
the house. We're like, Dan, it's awesome. We end on
like a dive in play a. Oh no, I think
we stopped them. Maybe we might have held them. They
tried to dive in and zone.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
It was. It was.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
That game was amazing. Obviously the Packer fans showed out.
So my first game, I'm like, goys, this this is
this is it? Like, this is awesome. The games go by,
we win last I think in the last second field
goal in New York we're steamrolling teams left and right.
Then it might have been weak, you know. Week ten,
I'm having a conversation with Drive about, Hey, you think
we go undefeed it so man, that's a hard thing
(03:16):
to do. I'm like, think we were killing everyone. What
are you talking about? Then we then we play Kansas City,
can't see we played Orton. I think again we played
them earlier in the year. I'm like, oh, we're gonna
kill this team, like we were already play this quarterback
he got Kupp and Aaron I was playing for KC
And think a mout have lost like thirteen seven or
thirteen six, something crazy like that. And that that hurt
(03:37):
because the expectations like, hey, we're not gonna lose a game,
you know, because every week Aaron's putting up forty plays,
getting sack sacks left and right. Woodson is getting picks
left and right. We're dominating everyone. You know, that that
happens we lose. That hurt a little bit. But then
I think a week or two later, Matt Flynn puts up,
you know, six touchdowns against Detroit last game the year.
(03:58):
It snowing. All right, we're back on track and we
played a good New York team. I actually want to
Suit Bowl that year, and I can remember one or
two plays defensively. If it doesn't happen, you know, we
probably could have won. I think they may even they
might even caught it like a hell Mary right before halftime.
So that doesn't help either.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
But yeah, that's how it going into into that game,
there had been some personal tragedy on the Packers staff.
Joe philb and the offensive coordinator, his son died in
an act tragic accident. How much did that have an
impact on you guys emotionally maybe going into that Giants game?
(04:40):
It was.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
It was an impact for sure, you know, because, like
like we said before, you know, like how everyone says
about groming, this is a big family thing, and when
that happened, especially me as a rookie, I'm like, dang,
we're still trying to move on. We're not gonna, you know,
really like sit around and like you know, but yeah,
we moved on and we we you know, we were
up and we were ready to play. But it's tough
(05:02):
trying to get over something like that.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Devon went on to sign a lucrated free agent contract
with the Jacksonville Jaguars in twenty fifteen, and he played
there for a couple of seasons before returning to Green Bay.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Yeah, so get the Jacksonville. Jackson was gonna give me
a chance of like say give me the keys, Like, hey,
you're gonna come here, You're gonna start right away, and
you're gonna be the guy. It was amazing. I loved
that I learned so much as about myself as a
man trying to take control of a room. Some that
woods in in you know, Tremon did and I learned
a lot from those guys, the same things that they
(05:39):
taught me. I taught those younger guys. I was fortunate
enough after my first year to have Jayla Ramsey come in,
who is arguably one of the best cornerbacks in the game,
if not the best behind Jay Year obviously, but no,
I've I was able to pour into them what I
was pouring into me. Us was an amazing guy. Uh
(06:02):
care more about you first? Wanted to know more about
you first. Then you know, everything else took care of
yourself because if we got together in a personal love
like hey, your name, what's your wife's name? How many
kids you have? He felt like it made you want
to play harder for him, and most day most definitely
made me do that.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
You eventually came back to Green Bay. How did that happen?
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Yeah, decided to leave Jacksonville and I came down to
Pittsburgh and Green Bay. It was a hard decision. It
was hard decision to say no to Pittsburgh. They actually
offered me more money and all, but I just feel
like Green May was the place I needed to be.
You know, Joe was still here, Buddy darn Barclay was
still here, wife, kids loved it here, and Green Bay
(06:42):
was like home.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
You know.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
So I decided to come back.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
You know, eight year career six with the Packers. What
resonates with you this day about your career and especially
Green Bay? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Man, And I tell people all this time, I'm lucky,
like really am lucky. Like I could have been drafted
to Philly and my career could have been easily two years.
And I'm done, like blessed by me to be able
to sit and watch for a year, right because I
wasn't ready and some people are just throwing the fire
because of the way they are drafted, you know what
I mean, or because people get hurt or whatnot. I
(07:15):
was able to learn, I was able to mature. I
was able to grow as a man and as a player.
I mean, I was banked up a little bit, but
people are you know, tearing ACL's concussions all this stuff
and everything just fell kept falling perfect for me. And
that's even with the points of like, hey, me watching me,
just playing special teams, me playing a little bit of nickel,
me starting a few games, and then me becoming a
(07:37):
guy eventually. So just kept kept putting my head down,
kept working, and then all had planned out for me.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Ninety percent of the players in pro sports have to
be fortunate enough to find the right situation, the right
coach who believes in him. House found that in position
coach Joe Witt Junior in Green Bay, and Devon carved
out an eight year NFL career, six with the Packers,
and in twenty twenty he returned to Green Bay once
(08:07):
more to officially retire as a Packer
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