/ Published in NFL

Ex-NFL CB Vontae Davis found dead at age 35

Apr 1, 2024, 02:45 PM ET

Former NFL cornerback Vontae Davis was found dead Monday at a residence in South Florida, Davie police confirmed. He was 35.

“This morning, Davie Police Officers responded to 6051 SW 178th Avenue in reference to a medical call. Officers were called to the residence by the house assistant, who found the homeowner deceased. We can confirm that the deceased individual is Vontae Davis age 35. Preliminary information suggests that foul play is not involved,” Davie police said in a statement.

Police said the investigation remains active.

The Broward County Office of Medical Examiner and Trauma Services said Monday that it could take up to 90 days to determine Davis’ cause of death, pending a full examination and further testing.

Davis made headlines in 2018 when, while playing for the Buffalo Bills, he abruptly retired at halftime of a September game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

In a statement released after the game, he said he meant no disrespect to his teammates and coaches but said that while he was on the field that Sunday, he didn’t feel right and wondered whether he wanted to keep going.

“And truthfully, I do not because the season is long, and it’s more important for me and my family to walk away healthy than to willfully embrace the warrior mentality and limp away too late,” he said in the statement.

“We are saddened to learn of the passing of Vontae Davis,” the Bills said in a statement posted to social media. “We are thinking of his friends, family, and loved ones during this difficult time.”

After playing three seasons at Illinois, he was a first-round pick (25th overall) by the Miami Dolphins in 2009. His first NFL interception was a pick-six, the only touchdown of his career.

The Dolphins traded Davis to the Indianapolis Colts in 2012, a year when Miami was featured on HBO’s “Hard Knocks.” When then-Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland told him he’d been traded, his first reaction was to ask whether he could call his grandmother and his brother, a moment that went viral. He didn’t know cameras were inside the room at that time and told ESPN after he retired, “I felt kind of violated.”

In a social media post Monday, the Dolphins said, “We are heartbroken by the sudden passing of former Dolphins CB Vontae Davis and extend our deepest condolences to his family & loved ones during this difficult time.”

He was selected to two Pro Bowls (2014-15) while playing in six seasons for the Colts.

“We are devastated to hear of Vontae Davis’s passing. He was a standout player in his six seasons with the Horseshoe, but he was an even better teammate who carried a smile and positive energy every day. He will be deeply missed, and we send our prayers to his family and loved ones,” the Colts said in a statement.

Colts owner Jim Irsay and several of Davis’ former teammates, including wide receivers T.Y. Hilton and Reggie Wayne, reacted to news of his death on social media.

In 10 NFL seasons, he had 22 interceptions, 97 passes defended and 395 tackles in 121 career games.

His older brother, Vernon Davis, also played in the NFL as a tight end and was a two-time Pro Bowl selection, retiring in 2019.

ESPN’s Stephen Holder contributed to this report.


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