Sad news in the NFL on Monday, as cornerback Vontae Davis was reportedly found dead at his grandmother’s home in Florida. 7News Miami reported on Davis’ death, indicating that no foul play was involved.
Illinois assistant basketball coach Chester Frazier seemingly confirmed the news that Davis had passed in a post to X.
TMZ reported on a statement from Davis’ childhood friend, Bobby Maze, which read as follows:
“Life will never be the same without my brother…Them FaceTime calls etc damn I wish we could have one more convo. You beat the odds, you made it. You did it your way. It just wasn’t supposed to end like this.”
Unfortunately, Davis had some legal trouble in February of last year. He fell asleep behind the wheel of a car and crashing into a parked truck on the side of a highway. Police found Davis laying down and asleep on the side of the road. The driver of the truck Davis hit was treated at the hospital for multiple injuries, with Davis receiving a DUI charge.
It’d be reckless to speculate if that incident had anything to do with what ultimately led to Davis’ tragic, sudden passing, but it’s a shame nonetheless.
As for what Davis accomplished as a football player, had three productive seasons for the Illini, and went on to be a first-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. In only his fourth year as a pro, Miami traded Davis to the Indianapolis Colts before the season started, where he played most of the rest of his career and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2014 and 2015.
One of the more puzzling anecdotes of obscure NFL history came when Davis’ time in Indy ended. He signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills prior to the 2018 campaign, and at halftime the team’s Week 2 game against the Chargers, Davis abruptly retired from football.
Most fans thought it was a stunt, or a situation where Davis just needed a break and would eventually return. However, the Bills released a statement thereafter confirmed Davis’ retirement. For better or worse, that act will be what Davis is largely remembered for when it comes to his time in the NFL.
Davis’ former teammates, Pat McAfee and Darius Butler, delivered an emotional tribute this morning during The Pat McAfee Show:
All that’s left to say is to send the best to Davis’ family and friends during an incredibly difficult time.
