Vontae Davis, former NFL cornerback, dead at 35
FILE - Defensive back Vontae Davis #22 of the Buffalo Bills warms up prior to a preseason game against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. (2018 Photo by: Nick Cammett/Diamond Images/Getty Images)
Vontae Davis, a former NFL cornerback for the Miami Dolphins, was found dead inside a Florida home Monday morning. He was 35 years old.
Police in the Fort Lauderdale suburb of Davie said they responded to a medical emergency at Davis' home Monday morning, but Davis was dead when officers arrived. No cause of death has been released pending autopsy results. Police said in a statement that the investigation is still active.
The cause of death wasn’t immediately known and no foul play was suspected, according to police.
"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 Dolphins wrote in a statement on social media.
The Colts also issued a statement saying they were devastated to hear of Davis’ death.
"He was a standout player in his six seasons with the Horseshoe, but he was an even better teammate who carried a smile and positive energy every day," the team said.
Bobby Maze, a childhood friend of Davis, wrote about his friend’s passing on Facebook, according to TMZ.
"Life will never be the same without my brother," Maze wrote. "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 played for the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins and the Indianapolis Colts before officially retiring in 2018.
The former football star had one of the more memorable retirement announcements in NFL history as he decided to end his career during halftime in a game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Bills 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."
He was a first-round draft pick in 2009 by the Miami Dolphins, where he spent three seasons before joining the Indianapolis Colts in 2012. He made two Pro Bowls with Indy before heading to the Bills in 2018. The game in which he retired was just his second with the team.
He finished with 22 interceptions, 395 combined tackles and 97 passes defended over 121 games in his career.
The Associated Press and FOX News contributed to this report. This story was reported from Los Angeles.