Vontae Davis dies aged 35 as ex-NFL player is found at Florida mansion
Vontae Davis, the former Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts and Buffalo Bills cornerback had died at age 35. His body was found at a property in Southwest Ranches, Florida. Davie Police have confirmed an investigation is underway and they do not suspect foul play. A police statement said: 'This morning, Davie Police Officers responded to 6051 SW 178th Avenue in reference to a medical call. Officers were called to the residence by the house assistant, who found the homeowner deceased.'
The statement added: 'We can confirm that the deceased individual is Vontae Davis age 35. Preliminary information suggests that foul play is not involved. The investigation remains active.' 7News Miami say the property is registered in his grandmother's name but police referred to Davis as the owner. His death comes a year after he was found curled up asleep on the side of a highway after crashing his Tesla in South Florida.
Davis is the younger brother of Super Bowl winner Vernon. Miami Dolphins paid tribute to their former player on X, writing on Monday afternoon: '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 NFL also wrote on Twitter: 'The NFL is heartbroken to hear about the passing of Vontae Davis. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.'
His childhood friend, Bobby Maze, also confirmed the passing in an emotional Facebook statement. 'To my childhood friend and to my brother Vontae Davis rest in peace,' Maze wrote. 'No words can explain how I feel right now. You was one of a kind and so full of life. 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.'
Davis' former college football coach, Chester Frazier, also paid tribute on X. 'We lost a great today!!!' Frazier said. 'RIP TO @vontaedavis man nothing but good memories of that dude in school!!' Davis was the 25th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft and played until 2018, when he abruptly retired in the middle of a Bills game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
In November last year, Davis cut a plea deal with prosecutors in Broward County, Florida after driving his vehicle under the influence. Back in February, Davis crashed his black Tesla into the rear of a Toyota pickup truck on a highway in the South Florida county. Pictures obtained by TMZ show Davis asleep with his arms under his head, dressed in a mint green ensemble as the wreckage of both cars sits nearby.
He was also ordered to complete 50 hours of community service and to pay fines and fees to cover the medical bills for those injured in the crash. Witnesses also told TMZ that Davis stayed asleep - even while first responders moved around him - until cops put him in the back of a police car. Even then, Davis seemed to struggle to stay awake - with footage showing him asleep in his seat.
A spokesperson for the Florida Highway Patrol told TMZ that first responders arrived at the scene of a car crash involving two vehicles on State Road 821 on Saturday, February 4, at around 7.51am. When police interacted with Davis, they said, as revealed by TMZ: 'Your eyes are bloodshot. Your speech is slurred. You can barely stay awake. All right? You almost killed somebody.' Officers asked Davis if he had consumed any alcohol, to which he replied: 'Yes, I had two drinks. Two mixed drinks.'
His brother Vernon told TMZ in February 2023 that the arrest was 'a very tough situation' but that his younger sibling was 'doing well'. In 2017, Davis married his long-term girlfriend Megan Harpe in Puerto Rio. Pat McAfee, meanwhile, held back tears as he opened up on the death of his former teammate and friend Davis live on his ESPN show on Monday.
With his voice breaking, McAfee 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.' After speaking for a few minutes on Davis' character, McAfee urged his TV audience to 'reach out to your people and tell them they're not alone.'
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