UPDATE: 4/3/24 4:33 p.m. ET.
Vernon Davis broke his silence on the death of his younger brother, Vonate Davis.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better little brother,” the former tight end said to the Daily Mail on Wednesday April 3.
While details of Vontae’s death have not been confirmed, Vernon shared with the outlet that it appeared his brother either slipped or collapsed after getting out of his sauna. The news was shocking to Vernon and his family.
“This thing definitely caught me by surprise. I just don’t know what to make of it,” he shared. “I’m leaning on the detectives to figure it out but right now we have no answers. They are going to run tests and they said they’ll get back to us. It could be as long as a month, a month and a half, until we know anything.”
Original story below:
Former NFL player and the brother of Vernon Davis, Vontae Davis, has died at age 35.
WSVN reported on Monday, April 1, police and the Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office arrived at Vontae’s home in Southwest Ranches, Florida, which is owned by his grandmother. Police told the outlet that a male was found deceased at the home and that no foul play was involved.
Vontae was drafted by the Dolphins in the first round in 2009. He went on to play cornerback for the Colts and Bills before retiring in 2018. Vontae is survived by brother Vernon, a tight end who won the Super Bowl with the Broncos in 2015, brother Michael Davis and wife Megan Harpe.
Vontae’s childhood friend Bobby Maze confirmed the news of the cornerback’s passing.
“To my childhood friend and to my brother Vontae Davis rest in peace. ‘No words can explain how I feel right now,” Maze wrote via Facebook, according to The Daily Mail. “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.”
Chester Frazier, who was Davis’ coach at the University of Illinois, also shared a tribute for the late athlete.
“We lost a great today!!!” Frazier wrote via X. “RIP TO @vontaedavis man nothing but good memories of that dude in school!!”
Vontae spent most of his career with the Colts for five seasons. After suffering from a groin injury in 2017 year, he was released by the team. Following his recovery, Vontae signed a deal with the Bills for one season and was hopeful to get back on the field.
“It’s just a process when you have a significant groin tear like I had. And it’s just time,” Vontae said in 2018. “It takes time and it takes consistently working at it. But first, I’ve got to be able to do it at practice before I can really get in a game and go.”
He only played one game with the team during which he pulled himself out of the middle of a game and subsequently retired. Following his abrupt exit, Vontae released a statement.
“This isn’t how I pictured retiring from the NFL. But today on the field, reality hit me and hard,” he said at the time. “I shouldn’t be out there anymore.”
