Vontae Davis, a former NFL cornerback, has died at the age of 35.
Police officers were called to the late footballer's house in Southwest Ranches - a suburban community in the Miami area - on Monday (April 1) morning after a housekeeper discovered his body.
Davis had a tremendous college career at Illinois before he was picked in the first round of the 2009 draft by the Miami Dolphins.
Three years later, he was traded to the Indianapolis Colts where he enjoyed his best years in the league 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 after he announced his retirement at half-time of a game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Details about how Davis died were not released, but preliminary information released by the Davie Police Department suggests that "foul play is not involved," as cited by WSVN 7.
According to The New York Post, the property is registered in his grandmother's name but authorities referred to Davis as the owner.
Reacting to the death, Jim Irsay, the principal owner of the Colts, wrote on X (formerly Twitter): "Extremely saddened to hear of the passing of Vontae Davis. A great guy, teammate, player. My prayers to Vontae’s family," while the Colts issued a statement, describing Davis as someone who "carried a smile and positive energy every day".
Illinois assistant basketball coach Chester Frazier addressed the former NFL pro's passing on the same social media platform, penning: "#illinination we lost a great today!!! RIP TO @vontaedavis man nothing but good memories of that dude in school!!! Praying for the Davis family!!"
Additionally, the Dolphins team expressed condolences to Davis' family, stating: "We are heartbroken by the sudden passing of former Dolphins CB Vontae Davis and extend our deepest condolences to his family & loved ones during this difficult time."
The Bills also said they were saddened to learn of Davis’ death and that they were "thinking of his friends, family, and loved ones during this difficult time".
Pat McAfee held back tears as he opened up on the death of his former teammate and friend Davis live on his ESPN show. With his voice breaking, he said: "It's been an interesting vibe all show because we learned this morning that a former teammate of ours, Vontae Davis, was found unresponsive in his house.
"Vontae was an incredibly cool dude, good guy, nice guy, upbeat guy, energetic guy," he said, urging his audience to "reach out to your people and tell them they're not alone".
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. The pair were raised by their grandmother and four other siblings in Washington DC.
After retirement, Davis became CEO of a Florida wellness spa and revealed at the time that he had no regrets about his decision to leave the NFL.
"Most people, when I did what I did, they thought I was literally going insane or something," he told ESPN in 2019. "But I was actually fine. I was totally fine. And I’m totally fine today."
Our thoughts are with Davis' family and friends at this devastating time.
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