Former NFL cornerback Vontae Davis was found dead Monday in a home in Southwest Ranches, Florida, according to Daniel Oyefusi and Grethel Aguila of the Miami Herald.
Davie police said officers were called to the scene and found the 35-year-old man unconscious. An investigation into his death remains ongoing, and no foul play is suspected.
Davis spent 10 years in the NFL, the majority of which were with the Indianapolis Colts. He appeared in 76 games over six years with the Colts and was a Pro Bowler in 2014 and 2015. Team owner Jim Irsay mourned his death on X, with the Colts also releasing a statement:
Davis’ career began with the Dolphins, who selected him 25th overall in the 2009 draft. In 121 games, he had 395 tackles, 22 interceptions, and 97 passes defensed.
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The most memorable fact about his decade in the NFL might be how his time there ended. While a member of the Bills, he left a 2018 contest against the Los Angeles Chargers and walked away from the sport completely.
Davis told ESPN Brendan Meyer in 2019 it was “one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life, honestly.” Meyer said the veteran defensive back felt nothing physically, but “his mind seemed distant—like he was going through the motions of the game he’d spent more than a decade playing.”
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Davis reiterated, looking back, that retiring abruptly was the right choice for him at the time because his heart was no longer in football like it once was.
Before making his way to the pros, the Washington, D.C. native had a decorated college career at Illinois. He was a two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection and was a sophomore when the Fighting Illini reached the Rose Bowl in the 2007 season, their first trip to Pasadena, Calif., since the 1983 season.
“Extremely saddened to learn of the passing of Vontae Davis,” Colts owner Jim Irsay posted on X. “Great guy, teammate, and player. My prayers to Vontae’s family.”
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The Dolphins, who selected Davis as a first-round pick in 2009, said: “We are heartbroken by the sudden passing of former Dolphins CB Vontae Davis and extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends. loved ones during this difficult time.”
The Bills added, “We are saddened to learn of the passing of Vontae Davis. We are thinking of his friends, family, and loved ones during this difficult time.”
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