Former NFL star Vontae Davis was found dead Monday morning at a home in Florida, according to police.
Police in the town of Davie confirmed they found the former cornerback dead at the residence in suburban Miami. Officers said they were called to the Southwest Ranches home — which is owned by the athlete’s grandmother, Adaline Davis, according to property records — by the house assistant, who found him dead.
Officials have not yet released a cause of death, but police said preliminary information suggests no foul play is involved. An investigation is ongoing.
Davis, 35, was signed to the Miami Dolphins in the 2009 NFL Draft. The cornerback was then traded to the Indianapolis Colts right before the start of the 2012 season, where he spent most of his football career. He earned two Pro Bowl nods in 2014 and 2015, with four interceptions in each campaign and a league-best 34 passes defensed over those two years, according to the NFL.
In 2018, Davis began playing for the Buffalo Bills on a one-year deal. But less than two weeks into the season, he made headlines for announcing his retirement during halftime at a Bills game against the Los Angeles Charges and not returning to the field for the second half.
“Today on the field, reality hit me fast and hard,” he said in a statement at the time. “I shouldn’t be out there anymore.”
Davis’ loved ones mourned his death on social media. Chester Frazier, who was Davis’ football coach at the University of Illinois, wrote on X that “we lost a great today,” and that he has “nothing but good memories of that dude in school.”
Davis’ former teammates Darius Butler and Pat McAfee delivered an emotional tribute Monday afternoon on McAfee’s ESPN show, where they said they’ve now lost four of their Colts teammates.
“Obviously we dealt with a lot of teammates … But just love on your people, man, you never know what people are going through or what they’re dealing with,” Butler said. “Obviously sending my heart and condolences to his families, loved ones, his friends, all his former teammates who have been reaching out while we’ve been on the show.”
McAfee echoed the same sentiments, encouraging viewers to keep reaching out to loved ones in case they’re struggling.
“I think what we’ll remember him for is for being an incredibly cool teammate in that locker room, and being a guy that all of us enjoyed being around on a daily basis,” he said.
“Rest in peace, Vontae. You done good, pal.”
