Former NFL Star Vontae Davis, 35, Found Dead at Florida Home
Davis abruptly retired from the NFL midway through his second game of the 2018 season.
Police are investigating the death of former NFL cornerback Vontae Davis, who was found dead at a Florida home on Monday morning. He was 35.
According to WSVN 7 News, Davie Police and the Broward County Medical Examiners Office arrived at the residence in Southwest Ranches, about 30 miles north of Miami, which is reportedly owned by Davis' grandmother, Adaline Davis. Authorities have ruled out foul play, but the cause of death is currently unknown.
The Washington, D.C. native's death was confirmed by his former University of Illinois football coach Chester Frazier on social media. "We lost a great today!!! RIP to [Vontae Davis]," Frazier wrote. "Man nothing but good memories of that dude in school! Praying for the Davis family!"
#illinination we lost a great today!!! RIP TO @vontaedavis man nothing but good memories of that dude in school!!! Praying for the Davis family!!
— Chester Frazier (@CoachFrazierILL) April 1, 2024
Davis spent 10 seasons in the NFL after being drafted in a first-round pick by the Miami Dolphins in 2009. In 2012, he was traded to the Indianapolis Colts, where he made Pro Bowl twice.
However, after signing a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills in 2018, Davis famously removed himself during the first half of the second game of the season, telling defensive backs coach John Butler that he was "done." At the time it was unclear whether he was leaving that particular game or retiring, until he elaborated on his decision in a statement following the game.
While it wasn't how he pictured himself retiring from the NFL, he said the realization had hit him suddenly. "Today on the field, reality hit me fast and hard: I shouldn't be out there anymore," Davis wrote.
"I meant no disrespect to my teammates and coaches," he explained. "But I hold myself to a standard. Mentally, I always expect myself to play at a high level. But physically, I know today that isn't possible, and I had an honest moment with myself. While I was on the field, I just didn't feel right, and I told the coaches, 'I'm not feeling like myself.'"
Davis told ESPN in 2019 that he was opening a holistic wellness spa in Fort Lauderdale. But according to his Instagram, he had been serving as the entrepreneur and founder of a luxury transportation business at the time of his death.