Pro Bowl cornerback Vontae Davis found dead at age of 35
Former NFL cornerback Vontae Davis, a first-round pick in the 2009 draft, has died at the age of 35.
Police found Davis’ body Monday morning in a home in Southwest Ranches, a Miami-area suburb.
“Officers were called to the home by the home assistant, who found the homeowner deceased,” Davie police said in a statement. “We can confirm that the deceased individual is Vontae Davis, 35 years old. Preliminary information suggests no foul play is suspected,” Davie police said in a statement.
Davis had a stellar college career at Illinois before being picked in the first round of the 2009 draft by the Miami Dolphins. In 2012, he was traded to the Indianapolis Colts, where he had his best years in the NFL, and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2014 and 2015. His final season came with the Buffalo Bills in 2018, where he gained attention when he announced his career. retirement during halftime of a game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
“I meant no disrespect to my teammates and coaches,” he said at the time. “But I hold myself to a standard. Mentally, I always expect to play at a high level. But today, physically, I know that’s not possible, and I had an honest moment with myself. It is more important to me and my family to walk away healthy than to willfully embrace the warrior mentality and limp away too late. This was an overwhelming decision, but I am at peace with myself and my family.”
Jim Irsay, the Colts’ principal owner, paid tribute to Davis on Monday.
“Extremely saddened to hear of the passing of Vontae Davis. A great guy, teammate, player. My prayers for Vontae’s family,” Irsay wrote on X.
Davis came from a football family: his brother Vernon played tight end for the San Francisco 49ers and Washington and was also a two-time Pro Bowler.
Davis became CEO of a wellness spa in Florida after his retirement and said he had no regrets about his decision to walk away from football.
“Most people, when I did what I did, thought I was literally going crazy or something,” he told ESPN in 2019. “But I was actually doing fine. I was completely fine. And I’m doing really well today.”