Vontae Davis Biography 2024: Age, Net Worth, Family, Relationship, Height, Education, Personal Life, Career and Cause Of Death
Vontae Davis, born on May 27, 1988, and passing away on April 1, 2024, was a skilled American football player known for his role as a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL).
Throughout his career, he played for the Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts, and Buffalo Bills.
Davis began his football journey at the University of Illinois, representing the Fighting Illini before being drafted by the Dolphins in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft.
He achieved the honor of being selected for two Pro Bowls during his time in the league.
| No. 22, 21, 23 | |||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Cornerback | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born: | May 27, 1988 Washington, D.C., U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Died: | April 1, 2024 (aged 35) Southwest Ranches, Florida, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 207 lb (94 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school: | Dunbar (Washington, D.C.) | ||||||||||||||
| College: | Illinois (2006–2008) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft: | 2009 / Round: 1 / Pick: 25 | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
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| Player stats at NFL.com · PFR | |||||||||||||||
Davis abruptly retired from the NFL in the middle of the Bills’ second game of the 2018 season, removing himself from the game at halftime.
Early Years
Davis was a standout student-athlete at Dunbar High School in Washington, D.C. He excelled in both football and track.
As a cornerback and wide receiver on the football team, he had an impressive senior season with 38 tackles and eight interceptions.
His performance earned him several accolades, such as being named Washington Post first-team All-Metro, PrepStar All-American, DCIAA West first-team All-Conference, and D.C. Gatorade Player of the Year.
In track and field, Davis showcased his speed as one of the top sprinters in the district.
In 2006, he achieved personal-best times of 10.97 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 22.78 seconds in the 200-meter dash, winning both events at the DCIAA East/West Championships.
Rivals.com recognized him as a three-star recruit and the No. 33 cornerback prospect in the nation.
College Career
Davis ultimately decided to attend the University of Illinois instead of choosing Maryland, Michigan State, or Virginia.
During his first year playing for the Fighting Illini, he had an impressive season with 30 tackles and one interception.
Davis received recognition for his performance, being named to the Freshman All-America first teams by The Sporting News, Scout.com, and Rivals.com, as well as earning the title of the Fighting Illini’s Rookie of the Year.
In 2007, he played in all 12 games, recording 56 tackles, including 13 in the Rose Bowl against USC, and was tied for third in the Big Ten with four interceptions.
Following his junior season, Davis announced his decision to forgo his senior year and enter the 2009 NFL draft.
Professional Career
Davis participated in the NFL Scouting Combine held in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he successfully completed all of the combine and positional drills.
Subsequently, on March 18, 2009, he attended Illinois’ pro day and made the decision to undertake the majority of the combine drills.
During this session, he notably improved his timings in the 40-yard dash (4.40s), 20-yard dash (2.52s), and 10-yard dash (1.48s), while also achieving a higher vertical jump of 37.5 inches.
As the pre-draft process concluded, NFL draft experts and scouts projected Davis to be a first or second round pick.
Additionally, DraftScout.com ranked him as the third best cornerback prospect in the draft.
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins selected Davis in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft, using the 25th pick of the draft.
Davis was the second cornerback drafted behind Ohio State’s Malcolm Jenkins and was the first of two cornerbacks the Dolphins selected in the first two rounds, along with Utah’s Sean Smith, whom they drafted in the second round with the 61st overall pick.
On July 31, 2009, Davis was signed by the Miami Dolphins to a five-year, $10.25 million contract, which included $7.43 million guaranteed and a signing bonus of $500,000.
During training camp, Davis competed against Eric Green and Sean Smith for a starting cornerback position.
Head coach Tony Sparano initially placed Davis as the fourth cornerback on the Dolphins’ depth chart for the regular season, behind Will Allen, Sean Smith, and Nathan Jones.
In the Miami Dolphins’ season-opener against the Atlanta Falcons, Davis made his professional regular season debut and recorded a solo tackle in their 19–7 loss.
In the fourth quarter, he made his first career regular season tackle on wide receiver Michael Jenkins, resulting in a three-yard loss.
Following the Dolphins’ Week 3 loss to the San Diego Chargers, Davis surpassed Nathan Jones on the depth chart.
On October 4, 2009, during a Week 4 victory against the Buffalo Bills, Davis recorded three solo tackles, a pass deflection, and returned his first career interception for a touchdown.
He intercepted a pass intended for Josh Reed, thrown by quarterback Trent Edwards, and returned it for a 23-yard touchdown at the end of the second quarter.
On February 26, 2018, Davis inked a one-year contract with the Buffalo Bills valued at a maximum of $5 million, with $3.5 million guaranteed.
During the team’s Week 1 game against the Baltimore Ravens, Davis was unexpectedly left out of the lineup, a decision that caught the attention of Buffalo News beat-writer Jay Skurski as “mildly surprising.”
This turned out to be a foreshadowing of a national controversy in Week 2.
In the midst of the September 16 match against the Los Angeles Chargers, after allowing a touchdown to Mike Williams, Davis voluntarily removed himself from the game, declaring that he was “done”.
Head coach Sean McDermott stated that it was initially unclear whether Davis intended to retire or simply exit that specific game.
Shortly after the game, Davis issued a statement confirming his retirement.
“This is not how I envisioned ending my NFL career,” Davis expressed, “but today on the field, reality struck me hard. I should no longer be out there.”
His decision did not sit well with his teammates and was later mocked in the media.
Davis later explained that his sudden retirement was a result of the realization that football was no longer his true calling and that “leaving was a form of therapy”.
Personal Life
Vontae, the younger sibling of former NFL player Vernon Davis, was mistakenly reported to have been arrested for traffic violations in Champaign, Illinois in June 2009.
This incident was later revealed to be a case of identity theft after his wallet was stolen. In June 2015, Davis tied the knot with his girlfriend Megan Harpe.
From September 2019 until his passing, Davis served as the CEO of a holistic wellness spa in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Death
On April 1, 2024, Davis was discovered deceased at his residence in Southwest Ranches, Florida by his grandmother. He was 35 years old.
The cause of death remains unknown, with authorities ruling out foul play but continuing their investigation.
Net Worth
According to Marca, Davis Net Worth is ranged around $20 million as at 2023.
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