Vontae Davis, ex-Dolphin was found dead Monday morning in a home in Southwest Ranches

Davis was found dead Monday morning in a home in Southwest Ranches, Florida, a suburb of Fort Lauderdale. The cause of death was not immediately known. He was 35.

Before Vontae Davis became a Pro Bowl NFL cornerback, he starred for three seasons at the University of Illinois, playing a pivotal role in a dramatic turnaround for the Illini football program in the mid-2000s.

“Vontae Davis was a lock-down defender and one of the greatest cornerbacks in Illinois football history, playing a major role during one of the greatest seasons in school history when the Illini reached the 2008 Rose Bowl,” said Dave Wischnowsky, a former reporter and blogger for the Chicago Tribune and WSCR 670 AM. 

Wischnowsky said that when Ron Zook took over at Illinois, he faced a major rebuild of the team’s roster. Davis’ commitment was a significant reason why the Illini were able to jump from just two wins in 2006 to nine wins, including a victory over No. 1 Ohio State, in 2007.

Davis was a three-year starter and a three-time All-Big Ten honoree, earning first-team recognition during his sophomore and junior seasons before entering the 2009 NFL Draft. He was selected a Playboy All-American in 2008. 

Fighting Illini head football coach Bret Bielema said while he did not coach Davis, he did compete against him as an assistant coach in the NFL.

Davis, a cornerback, played for 10 seasons in the NFL after being drafted 25th overall by the Dolphins in 2009 out of Illinois.

Davis played three seasons for Miami before being traded to the Indianapolis Colts just before the 2012 season. He played six seasons with the Colts. Team owner Jim Irsay offered his prayers to Davis’ family in a statement and shared a photo of Davis in a Colts jersey on social media.

The Washington, D.C., native signed with the Buffalo Bills for 2018 but left the team at halftime of the season’s second game. He released a statement announcing his retirement after the game, saying that after multiple injuries and surgeries, “Reality hit me fast and hard: I shouldn’t be out there anymore.”

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