‘Rock the Block’s Vernon Davis Addresses Season 7 Rivalry & Funny On-Set Moments

Not only is Vernon Davis making his HGTV debut on Season 7 of Rock the Block, but he’s also making history on the show.

For the first time in the series’ history, celebrities will compete alongside some of HGTV’s biggest stars in an epic Las Vegas home renovation and design battle.

“I’m always up for a challenge, and I felt like Rock the Block was something that would be super challenging, even though I had been doing things in that space, when it comes to buying homes, flipping them, buying homes, renting them out,” Davis exclusively told TV Insider ahead of the show’s Season 7 premiere on Monday, April 13. “That space is something I’ve been in, but Rock The Block presented a whole other challenge for me. And I thought it would be something that would be cool to take on.

In addition to Davis and his partner, Mina Starsiak Hawk, this season’s duos include Scott McGillivray and Brooke Hogan, Taniya Nayak and Drew Lachey, and Kim Wolfe and Chelsea Meissner.

Like past seasons, the four teams will renovate identical homes by tackling one space each week. Every week, guest judges will pick which transformed space they like the best, but only one team will be named the show’s winner and get a street named in their honor.

Here, Davis teases what fans can expect from his Rock the Block Season 7 journey.

Can you detail your past home renovation and design experience?

Vernon Davis: For the last 11 years, I’ve been flipping homes. I buy them, fix them up, sell them, or I buy them, fix them up and rent them out. And sometimes, I buy them as is and maybe do a little bit of work to them before I put them on the market to rent them out. That’s pretty much been my experience, and I’ve always wanted to to go even further with that. So, when Rock The Block came my way, I was like, “Oh, wow. This is right. This is low-hanging fruit. This is right in my alley, because I’ve been doing something similar.” But now, I’m doing it on a whole other level, and I have to do it in a way where we’re on the top crunch. The clock is ticking faster.

HGTV

All of this season’s celebrity contestants have a passion for home renovation. Season 7 also marks the first time celebrities have competed on the show. What was it like bringing in this new format change to the series?

It was cool. I fell in love with it, actually. I fell in love, and I didn’t think that I would find it as fascinating as I did. This show, this is something that, like, every morning I woke up to go on set and get ready for the competition. I just got excited about it, and I looked forward to it. So, when it was over, I was like, “Wow, we’re not doing this anymore.” I wanted to keep going, because not only did I learn a new skill, but I met some new people. I met friends. Even though we were challenging each other, we still cultivated a relationship.

You’re partnered with Mina Starsiak Hawk. What was she like to work with? Were there any fun things that you learned about her?

She was amazing. She’s a hard worker, and she got up every, every day with great enthusiasm. She’d always be the first one on set, last one to leave. She really wanted to win, and I could see it in her. And not only did she want to win, but I learned a lot of stuff from her, from chopping wood to installations with cabinets, and just creating our own cushions and things of that nature. She was really a treat to be around.

Related

'Rock the Block': Ty Pennington Talks Season 7 Changes, Challenges & 'Mental Breakdowns'

In a recent interview, Mina said that this season’s cast got along very well, and you even got up to some shenanigans, including Brooke Hogan trying to tackle you. What were some of your favorite on-set or behind-the-scenes memories from filming?

Even though it was a challenge, we all had a chance to really cultivate a relationship and get to know each other. [Brooke] came up to me, and then she just tackled me. And I’m like. “Oh! Where did that come from?” She’s standing [and saying,] “Let’s do it again, Vernon. Let’s film it this time. Stand right there.” So, we had to repeat the entire sequence. And I was standing there like I’m about to take a drink of water, [and] she comes up and tackles me.

Which of your fellow teams would you consider your biggest competition? Did anyone surprise you the most in terms of competitiveness?

I always thought Scott and Brooke was our biggest competition. They’re just our biggest competition. I always thought that from the beginning to the end, just because of their confidence. They had great confidence. They were always excited and happy. So, I just thought they’d be our biggest competition.

Without spoiling what’s to come, what was your favorite room that you designed in your home this season?

My favorite room, I would probably say the kitchen. Yeah, the kitchen.

You came out of this experience with more knowledge and interest in the home design and renovation world. If you had your own HGTV show, what would you want it be?

I don’t know. Maybe there’s a show where you bring on people who’ve never had an opportunity to renovate and design. Maybe it’s athletes, and they each get a room or the same room in the same kind of house, and they have two days to complete it, but they get a handyman to help them within the system, with whatever they need. They have to come up with a design and renovations in two days.

HGTV

What’s next for you in your TV career? Are there any dream shows that you’d love to appear on next?

I would say just maybe having my own show concept, whether renovation and design or just me going across the United States.

You could be the host of the HGTV show where athletes come on and design rooms.

Exactly. There we go.

If you could describe Season 7 of Rock the Block in three words, what would they be?

Amazing. Extraordinary. Breathtaking.

How would you sum up our overall experience on Rock the Block?

I think just being able to learn something new, a different craft, and to do it with amazing people. Not only that, but getting to know people from different worlds. I think that’s just created a great experience for me, especially living in Vegas. I learned something new about Vegas. Vegas has become my second home now. From my short time that I was there, I had a chance to really figure out what the city was all about.

Rock the Block Season 7 premiere, April 13, 8/7c, HGTV