Vontae Davis, legendary Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins legend, is reportedly dead at 35, Illinois basketball coach Chester Frazier said in a Monday tweet.
Davis’ body was found at a home in Southwest Ranches, Florida, police told WSVN News. Property records reportedly indicate the residence is in his grandmother’s name.
The WSVN report appears to corroborate the Monday tweet from Frazier, who attended Illinois as a basketball player at the same time Davis starred for their football team.
“Illini nation we lost a great today!!! RIP TO @vontaedavis,” he tweeted. “[M]an 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
Davie Police and the Broward County Medical Examiners Office were at the residence Monday morning, according to WSVN. Police reportedly said a male was found deceased at the home and determine there had been no foul play.
If you’re like me and grew up watching football in the 2000s, Davis was a must-add to any Madden franchise team. The two-time Pro Bowler was a pass deflection king, racking up an insane 97 of them in his nine-plus year career.
He’s also responsible for two of the most iconic moments in the last two decades of NFL history.
There’s the time he got traded from the Miami Dolphins to the Indianapolis Colts right in the middle of a taping of HBO’s “Hard Knocks” and just stared blankly, mouth agape, at then-Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland.
Vontae Davis getting traded to the Colts while on Hard Knocks pic.twitter.com/i5ZYhol06t
— boxingfan333 (@boxingfan3333) April 1, 2024
And then there’s the all-time “Screw this shit I’m out of here” moment when he literally retired at half time of his first game with the Buffalo Bills, a story that’s hilariously recounted by his then-teammates LeSean McCoy and Tre’Davious White.
“He had just made, like, a big stop on third down,” White recalled on a 2020 Instagram live. “He had put his fist up, got the crowd pumped up and everything. So we got to the sideline, you know offense is going, we about to punt. Coach is like ‘ya’ll get ready,’ he like ‘Yeah I’m done young bull.’ He was like ‘yeah this my last go-around.'”
“Naw, this gon be my last game, I’m done man.”
LeSean McCoy and Tre’Davious White hilariously reenact the moment Vontae Davis famously quit the NFL at halftime 🤣 *nsfw*
(via shadymccoy | IG live) pic.twitter.com/w5W7RFLIEK
— The MMQB (@theMMQB) April 10, 2020
“I was like, uhh, what you mean? Oh this gonna be your last year? He was like ‘nah, this gonna be my last game, I’m done.”
Davis then walked into the locker room and off into the sunset, electing to not even return to the field for the second half.
What an absolutely legendary way to go out. On his own damn terms. Respect Vontae. I hope you left this world the same way. On your own damn terms.