Heartbreaking Hard Knocks clip of Vontae Davis’ trade to the Colts resurfaces
A heartbreaking video showing Vontae Davis’ trade to the Indianapolis Colts in 2012 has resurfaced on social media, as the late NFL cornerback at the time initially thought to call his grandmother to tell her the news.
On Monday, just hours after Davis’ death was publicly announced, a user on to chat during a trade on the Cards with the Colts before the start of the 2012-13 season.
Ireland starts the conversation admitting the rumors are true, telling Davis, “We just traded you. OK? We traded you to the Indianapolis Colts. Agree? So, uh… are you okay?’
“No, I’m going to call my grandma,” Davis replied immediately, appearing to be in shock.
“Are you going to call your grandmother?” Ireland asked, wanting to double check what he had just heard from Davis before trying to reassure the player. “Okay, this didn’t make the papers or anything like that,” he added. ‘What would this do? Why don’t we do some business before you call grandma, okay?
Hard Knock footage from 2012 shows Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland trading Vontae Davis
Rocked by the news that he was being traded to the Colts, Davis asked if he could call his grandmother
The future NFL CB, who died Monday at the age of 35, played for Indianapolis from 2012 to 2017
“There’s a little bit of urgency because there’s a storm coming,” Ireland went on to say before referring to the Colts: “They probably want to get you on a plane here pretty quickly, okay?
In an attempt to provide reasons behind the Davis trade, Ireland told the player, “Now listen… you know, Vontae, you’re a little up and down. You know, we need to get to a small wave where the consistency level is more consistent, and before you become a big one, which I think you can be, these waves need to be a lot smaller.
‘OK? That’s probably why you’re getting traded. I’m just trying to be transparent with you. I want you to know why it hasn’t worked for us here. I think you’re very important as a person and I appreciate you being here for the last three years as the Miami Dolphins, and I know you’re doing well.”
“Thanks coach,” Davis replied before asking who he was traded to Indianapolis for.
“Well… a few choices,” Ireland replied, while Davis seemed incredulous at what he just heard. The Dolphins received a second-round pick (54th overall) in the 2013 NFL Draft for Davis, only to include him in the trade that year to draft cornerback James Taylor. They would also get a sixth-round pick, but Davis didn’t exceed 65 percent of the Colts’ defensive snaps in 2012.
Later in the Hard Knocks video, Ireland tells Davis on his way out, “Hey, listen. We’ve had some ups and downs, but everything will be positive. Agree? I want you to have a great career. Okay, man?
Miami drafted Davis as a first-round pick in the 2009 NFL draft. He played there for three years
Just before Davis was about to turn the doorknob to his office, Ireland said to the player, “Hey, look, there’s two ways to look at this. You know, it can be very positive for you. Agree? So make it a positive one, okay?”
Footage shows Davis’ locker being emptied shortly after Ireland delivered the trade news to the former two-time Pro Bowler.
In response to the surfaced video, one fan tweeted on Monday: “Heartbreaking, his first thought was to call his grandmother.” Another noted, “And he definitely played for the Colts in 2014.” Another user said: ‘I’m grateful we have him. Absolute stallion.’
Davis played five seasons for the Colts from 2012 to 2017, recording eight combined tackles and a career-high five pass deflections in the Colts’ AFC Divisional Round victory against the Denver Broncos. Indianapolis lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship round.
Davis abruptly retired from the NFL in the middle of the Bills’ second game of the 2018 season, when his teammates recalled a story in which Davis removed himself from the game at halftime.
He was found dead Monday by his grandmother at his home in Southwest Ranches, Florida. He was 35. While the cause of death is unknown, police say no foul play is suspected but they will continue to investigate.