ASHBURN, Va. — All dads have their version of the walking-uphill-both-ways-to-school story they bestow upon their kids. Stephen Davis gets to recount a work detail thanks to his son’s new adventure.

“They have a (practice) bubble now, right?” the former Washington running back said of the Commanders’ practice facility. “We had to go outside and practice in the cold (and rain).”

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Davis went down facility memory lane because his kid visited the old man’s one-time stomping grounds last week. Not for a school field trip or to reminisce. Stephen Jr. is working for his professional football future.

That started during rookie minicamp on the same Northern Virginia terrain his father once roamed.

Thanks to a steady downpour on Friday, players worked inside Washington’s practice bubble,  a now-standard NFL creature comfort those in the dad’s era often went without.

“Everything is more advanced now,” Davis Sr. said.

That extends to highlight-watching technology.

“(My dad) actually has VCR tapes,” Stephen Jr. said with the youthful dismissiveness one might expect from a representative of the YouTube and TikTok generation. “He will always be like, ‘Hey, man, let’s go watch these in the (home) theater. … I’d be like, ‘Man, you really trying to show me this old film of you?”

In fairness to the dad, Stephen Davis’ career is worth revisiting.

Selected in the fourth round of the 1996 draft, the burly back with breakaway speed spent his first seven seasons with Washington. Only John Riggins, Clinton Portis and Larry Brown outgained Davis’ 5,790 yards in a Washington uniform. That followed a dynamic three-year stint at Auburn, where he finished fourth on the storied program’s all-time rushing list — one spot behind Heisman Trophy winner Bo Jackson.

But the 11-year NFL veteran did not agree to a phone call with a Commanders reporter for a career rehash while driving from his Columbia, S.C., home to Charlotte. Instead, Davis was on the line to talk as a prideful father watching his son chase his football dreams — and the “nerves” that come with that ride.

“I want him to go out and do the things that he’s capable of doing and don’t worry about being compared to any kind of legacy or anything,” Davis Sr. said. “Don’t worry about that because he’s making it his own.”

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There is no escaping the name, of course. Not that the son has tried outrunning his football inheritance.

Stephen Jr. began his college career at his father’s alma mater. Playing the same position only enhanced the initial spotlight. The son then switched schools — twice — and sides of the ball. He finished his career playing linebacker and special teams for North Carolina A&T.

Now comes the post-college plan: earn a job with the team for which his father once starred.

“I wouldn’t say it’s pressure, but you have to live up to the expectations,” Stephen Jr. said. “It’s fun. … I take pride in my last name. I take pride in my whole name, honestly.”

Roughly 40 players participated in Washington’s three-day rookie minicamp. The hodgepodge grouping included the Commanders’ eight draft selections, 13 undrafted free agents, three deep-reserve holdovers from the 2021 squad and 16 players on rookie tryouts hoping for an invitation to the upcoming team-wide offseason workout program.

“It’s just special,” Davis Jr., one of the tryout players, said shortly after Friday’s workout. “It’s a great organization. … It feels like home. I feel like I’m welcome. I feel like they are giving me the opportunity to showcase my skills.”

Ashburn should feel like home. It’s where the younger Davis was born in 1998, ahead of his father’s third season. The following year under head coach Norv Turner, Stephen Sr. led the league with 17 touchdowns while rushing for 1,407 yards. Fast forward 23 years, and his son attempts to impress a coaching staff with Norv’s son, Scott Turner, serving as offensive coordinator.

Now the age of his old Washington jersey number, Stephen Sr. owns a trucking company, “RunIt48,” is a 48-year-old father of four and — get ready to feel even older — a grandfather three times over.

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NFL agent David Canter knows about representing football-playing fathers and sons. He completed the double-dip last season with Asante Samuel Jr. Now comes Davis Jr., a client — and his godson.

“Representing a father and then his son is a blessing in this industry,” Canter said. “This is a little different because Stephen Jr. has been part of my career since his birth.”

Washington’s roster could use additional depth at linebacker and safety. At 6-foot-4, 214 pounds, the rangy Davis Jr. offers measurables intrigue at either spot. Lineage enhances curiosity during the evaluation process.

For those interested in bloodlines among the rookie camp participants:

* LB Stephen Davis Jr. will be in Ashburn. Yes, the son of the former Washington RB.

* LB Decalon Brooks is the son of HOF LB Derrick Brooks

* TE Armani Rogers's pops, Sam, player NFL LB for a decade

— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) May 6, 2022

“I think the biggest thing about bloodlines or anything else is that they know football,” Washington coach Ron Rivera said. “They’ve been around (football) most of their lives.”

Stephen Sr. passed down more than athletic traits. He shared wisdom from his pro career that started in 1996 with guidance from veteran players including Terry Allen, Brian Mitchell, Leslie Sheppard and Darrell Green. “They taught me how to be a pro,” Stephen Sr. said.

Davis later spent three seasons with Carolina and starred for the 2003 NFC champion Panthers who lost Super Bowl XXXVIII to the Tom Brady-led Patriots. He finished his career with 8,052 rushing yards and 69 touchdowns.

“The opportunity I got to play in Washington was great,” Stephen Sr. said. “I hate (the) Dallas (Cowboys) because of Washington. The experience I had there was great, and I had a great career there. I loved it. … Being one of the top running backs in the NFL was a great experience. I will never, ever forget it.”

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Those cherished memories include the grind.

“I can remember one time at practice, man, it was so cold the ground was frozen,” Stephen Sr. said. “We had to wear tennis shoes on the practice field because the ground was frozen. Those experiences made us the team we were and the guys we are today. To go through something like that, you really have to love football.”

Whatever advantages come with his name, the love of football will carry Stephen Jr. beyond the rookie tryout phase. The liberal studies major graduated with honors from A&T and is now working toward an MBA. Perhaps one day he will enter the trucking world. He’s focused on the original family business for now.

“My dad gave me pointers because he played in the league,” Stephen Jr. said. “And he just said take it with a grain of salt and go have fun. It’s just a kid’s game. Play it as long as you can.”

The dad thinks the son has the goods to help an NFL team. “(Stephen Jr.) is big. He’s fast,” the dad said. “Played a lot of special teams. Given the right opportunity, and given a chance, man, I think he can go out there and contribute to the team.”

Turnover by #48 Stephen Davis, Jr.

— N.C. A&T Athletics (@NCATAGGIES) August 31, 2019

Stephen Sr. played long enough to compile a stack of highlights. The son with a famous name, a warm smile and love for his old man begrudgingly acknowledges he will “go back and watch sometimes to see how fast he really was. I definitely learned a lot from watching some of his tapes. I ain’t gonna say all of them, though, because that would make his day.”

The retired player also keeps a close watch on his former team (“Everybody just has to buy into what Coach Rivera is doing.”). Last year, he visited training camp, though he hadn’t been inside the team’s headquarters for a few years. “It was totally different (from my playing days),” Davis said. “I got lost.”

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If all goes well, Stephen Sr. will have a personal tour guide on his next visit, rain or shine.

(Top photo of Stephen Davis Jr.: Joe Glorioso / All Pro Reels)