Vontae Davis
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Vontae Ottis Davis (born May 27, 1988) is a former
American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
cornerback A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such offensive running plays as sweeps and reverses. They create tur ...
who played for the
Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
,
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
, and
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
of the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL). He played
college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...
at
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
, and was drafted by the Dolphins in the first round of the
2009 NFL Draft The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, on April 25 and 26, 2009. T ...
. He made two
Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players. The format has changed thro ...
s in his career. Davis 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 attended Dunbar High School in
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
, where he was a letterman in
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
and
track Track or Tracks may refer to: Routes or imprints * Ancient trackway, any track or trail whose origin is lost in antiquity * Animal track, imprints left on surfaces that an animal walks across * Desire path, a line worn by people taking the shorte ...
. He played
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
as a
cornerback A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such offensive running plays as sweeps and reverses. They create tur ...
and wide receiver. During his senior season, he recorded 38
tackles Tackle may refer to: * In football: ** Tackle (football move), a play in various forms of football ** Tackle (gridiron football position), a position in American football and Canadian football ** Dump tackle, a forceful move in rugby of picking u ...
and eight
interceptions In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team b ...
and achieved many awards and honors including ''
Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' first-team All-Metro, PrepStar All-American, DCIAA West first-team All-Conference, and D.C. Gatorade Player of the Year. In
track & field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping events ...
, Davis was one of the district's top sprinters. As a senior in 2006, he recorded personal-best times of 10.97 seconds in the
100-meter dash The 100 metres, or 100-meter dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, the dash is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contest ...
and 22.78 seconds in the
200-meter dash The 200 metres, or 200-meter dash, is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 metre racetrack, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques is needed to successfully run the race. A slightl ...
at the DCIAA East/West Championships, placing first in both events. He also recorded a 4.40-second
40-yard dash The 40-yard dash is a sprint covering . It is primarily run to evaluate the speed and acceleration of American football players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting. A player's recorded time can have a he ...
and a 33-inch
vertical jump A vertical jump or vertical leap is the act of jumping upwards into the air. It can be an exercise for building both endurance and strength, and is also a standard test for measuring athletic performance. It may also be referred to as a ''Sargent ...
. Considered a three-star recruit by
Rivals.com Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting in the United States. The network was started in 1998 and employs more than 300 personnel. History Rivals.com was founded in 1998 by Jim Heckma ...
, Davis was ranked as the No. 33
cornerback A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such offensive running plays as sweeps and reverses. They create tur ...
prospect in the nation.


College career

Davis chose
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
over
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
,
Michigan State Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the United States. It i ...
, and
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
. Davis had a great freshman season for the Fighting Illini recording 30 tackles and intercepting one pass. He was named to the Freshman All-America first teams by ''
The Sporting News The ''Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a pr ...
'', Scout.com, and
Rivals.com Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting in the United States. The network was started in 1998 and employs more than 300 personnel. History Rivals.com was founded in 1998 by Jim Heckma ...
and was also the Fighting Illini's Rookie of the Year. In 2007, he started all 12 games he played recording 56 tackles, including 13 in the Rose Bowl against
USC USC most often refers to: * University of South Carolina, a public research university ** University of South Carolina System, the main university and its satellite campuses **South Carolina Gamecocks, the school athletic program * University of ...
, and was tied for third in the
Big Ten The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...
with four interceptions. After his junior season, he declared that he would forgo his senior season and become eligible for the
2009 NFL Draft The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, on April 25 and 26, 2009. T ...
.


College statistics


Professional career

Davis attended the
NFL Scouting Combine The NFL Scouting Combine is a week-long showcase occurring every February at Lucas Oil Stadium (and formerly at the RCA Dome until 2008) in Indianapolis, where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Footb ...
in
Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...
and completed all of the combine and positional drills. On March 18, 2009, Davis attended Illinois' pro day and opted to perform the majority of combine drills. He posted better times in the 40-yard dash (4.40s), 20-yard dash (2.52s), and 10-yard dash (1.48s) while also adding height to his vertical jump (37.5"). At the conclusion of the pre-draft process, Davis was projected to be first or second round selection by NFL draft experts and scouts. He was ranked the third best cornerback prospect in the draft by DraftScout.com.


Miami Dolphins

The
Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
selected Davis in the first round (25th overall) of the
2009 NFL Draft The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, on April 25 and 26, 2009. T ...
. Davis was the second cornerback drafted behind Ohio State's
Malcolm Jenkins Malcolm Jenkins (born December 20, 1987) is a former American football safety who played for 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State, earning consensus All-American honors, and winning the Jim ...
and was the first of two cornerbacks the Dolphins selected in the first two rounds, along with Utah's Sean Smith who they drafted in the second round (61st overall).


2009

On July 31, 2009, the Miami Dolphins signed Davis to a five-year, $10.25 million contract that includes $7.43 million guaranteed and a
signing bonus A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee (including a professional sports person) by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive ...
of $500,000. Throughout training camp, Davis competed for a job as a starting cornerback against Eric Green and Sean Smith. Head coach
Tony Sparano Anthony Joseph Sparano III (October 7, 1961 – July 22, 2018) was an American football coach. He served as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins and Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL) and is the only NFL head coach to have l ...
named Davis the fourth cornerback on the Dolphins' depth chart to begin the regular season, behind Will Allen, Sean Smith, and Nathan Jones. He made his professional regular season debut in the Miami Dolphins' season-opener at the
Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...
and made a solo tackle during their 10–7 loss. Davis recorded his first career regular season tackle on wide receiver Michael Jenkins for a three-yard loss in the fourth quarter. Davis surpassed Nathan Jones on the depth chart after the Miami Dolphins' Week 3 loss at the
San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
. On October 4, 2009, Davis recorded three solo tackles, a pass deflection, and returned his first career interception for a touchdown during a 38–10 victory against the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
in Week 4. He intercepted a pass attempt by quarterback
Trent Edwards Trent Addison Edwards (born October 30, 1983) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Stanford and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Edwards took over the sta ...
that was originally intended for
Josh Reed Joshua Blake Reed (born May 1, 1980) is a former professional American football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons during the 2000s. He played college football for Louisiana State University ...
and returned it for a 23-yard touchdown at the end of the second quarter. On November 1, 2009, Davis earned his first career start in place of Will Allen who was placed on injured reserve after tearing his ACL the previous week. He recorded a season-high seven combined tackles and two pass deflections during their 39–25 victory at the
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
in Week 8. The following week, he collected a season-high six solo tackles, broke up two passes, and intercepted a pass by
Tom Brady Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots organization, with which ...
during a 27–17 loss at the
New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
in Week 9. He finished his rookie season in with 51 combined tackles (47 solo), 11 pass deflections, and four interceptions in 16 games and nine starts. Davis led the team in interceptions as a rookie and led all defensive backs on the team in tackles.
Pro Football Weekly ''Pro Football Weekly'' (sometimes shortened to ''PFW'') is an American sports magazine, founded in 1967, and website that covers the National Football League (NFL). It was owned by Pro Football Weekly LLC and headquartered in Riverwoods, Illinoi ...
selected Davis on its annual All-Rookie team.


2010

Davis entered training camp slated as the No.1 starting cornerback on the depth chart. Head coach Tony Sparano officially named Davis the starting cornerback to start the regular season, alongside Jason Allen and nickelback
Nolan Carroll Nolan Alexander Carroll II (born January 18, 1987) is a former American football cornerback. He was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Maryland. He has also played for the Phil ...
. He started in the Miami Dolphins' season-opener at the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
and made two solo tackles and deflected a pass in their 15–10 victory. In Week 2, Davis collected six solo tackles, two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Brett Favre during a 14–10 victory at the
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansion ...
. After the game, Vikings' quarterback
Brett Favre Brett Lorenzo Favre ( ; born October 10, 1969) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons, primarily with the Green Bay Packers. Favre had 321 consecutive starts from 1992 to 20 ...
stated, "Number 21, I felt like, was one of the best corners in this league, especially that no one knows about." On November 7, 2010, Davis collected a season-high seven combined tackles and a pass deflection in the Dolphins' 27–10 loss at the
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
in Week 9. Davis completed the season with 54 combined tackles (46 solo), 12 pass deflections, and an interception in 16 games and 15 starts.


2011

Defensive coordinator
Mike Nolan Michael Tullis Nolan (born March 7, 1959) is a former American football coach. Nolan previously served as a head coach for the San Francisco 49ers, and a defensive coordinator for the NFL's Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Washington Redskins, ...
retained Davis as a starting cornerback, along with Sean Smith, to start the season. Davis started in the Miami Dolphins' season-opener against the
New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
and recorded four combined tackles before exiting the 38–24 loss due to cramps. The following week, he collected six solo tackles in the Dolphins' 23–13 loss to the
Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...
in Week 2. He exited in the third quarter due to a hamstring injury and was inactive for the next two games (Weeks 3–4) In Week 14, he made four solo tackles, broke up a pass, and made his first career sack on quarterback
Carson Palmer Carson Hilton Palmer (born December 27, 1979) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals. He played college football at ...
as the Dolphins defeated
Oakland Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay A ...
34–14. On December 13, 2011, the Miami Dolphins fired head coach
Tony Sparano Anthony Joseph Sparano III (October 7, 1961 – July 22, 2018) was an American football coach. He served as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins and Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL) and is the only NFL head coach to have l ...
after falling to a 4–9 record. Defensive backs coach
Todd Bowles Todd Robert Bowles (born November 18, 1963) is an American football coach and former player who is the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the head coach of the New York Jets. He ...
was named the interim head coach for the last three games. On December 18, 2011, Davis recorded five combined tackles, two pass deflections, and intercepted two passes by
Ryan Fitzpatrick Ryan Joseph Fitzpatrick (born November 24, 1982) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. During his career, Fitzpatrick started at quarterback for nine different teams, the most ...
in the Dolphins' 30–23 win at the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
in Week 15. The interceptions marked his first career multi-interception game. He finished the season with 43 combined tackles (39 solo), nine pass deflections, four interceptions, and a sack in 12 games and 12 starts.


2012

Davis entered training camp slated as a starting cornerback, along with Sean Smith, but saw competition from Richard Marshall and Nolan Carroll. During camp, he was surpassed on the depth chart by Marshall and was demoted to being the third cornerback on the depth chart. Following his demotion, he competed to be the first-team nickelback against Nolan Carroll.


Indianapolis Colts

On August 26, 2012, the Miami Dolphins traded Davis to the
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
in exchange for their second round pick (54th overall) and a conditional sixth round pick in the
2013 NFL Draft The 2013 NFL Draft was the 78th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft, which is officially called the "NFL Player Selection Meeting", was held at Radio City Music Hall in ...
. The Miami Dolphins used the second round pick they received in the trade to draft cornerback Jamar Taylor, but did not receive a conditional sixth round pick after Davis did not exceed more than 65% of the Colts' defensive snaps in 2012. Head coach
Chuck Pagano Charles David Pagano (born October 2, 1960) is a former American football coach and player. Pagano spent six seasons in the National Football League (NFL) as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2012 to 2017. He also served as the defensiv ...
named Davis a starting cornerback to begin the regular season, along with
Jerraud Powers Jerraud Powers (born July 19, 1987) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at Auburn and was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He also played for the Arizona Cardinals ...
. He made his Indianapolis Colts regular season debut in their season-opener at the
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
and recorded five solo tackles in their 41–22 loss. Davis was inactive for two games (Weeks 5–6) due to an ankle injury he sustained in Week 3. On October 28, 2012, Davis made one tackle before exiting the Colts' 19–13 victory at the
Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their h ...
in the first quarter after injuring his knee. His injury sidelined him for the next four games (Weeks 9–12). In Week 14, he collected eight combined tackles, broke up a pass, and sacked quarterback
Jake Locker Jacob Cooper Locker (born June 15, 1988) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at the University of Washington, and was drafted by the Tennessee Titans eighth overall in the 2011 NFL Draft. A backup during his ent ...
during a 27–23 win at the
Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their h ...
. The following week, Davis collected a season-high nine solo tackles during a 29–17 loss at the
Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...
in Week 15. On December 30, 2012, Davis recorded five solo tackles, three pass deflections, and intercepted two passes by
Matt Schaub Matthew Schaub (born June 25, 1981) is a former American football quarterback who played for 17 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Virginia Cavaliers, and was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the th ...
during a 28–16 win in Week 17. He finished the season with 51 combined tackles (46 solo), seven passes defensed, three interceptions, and a sack in ten games and ten starts. The Indianapolis Colts finished second in the
AFC South The American Football Conference – Southern Division or AFC South is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It was created before the 2002 NFL season, 2002 s ...
with an 11–5 record and clinched a wildcard berth. On January 6, 2013, Davis started his first career playoff game as the Colts lost 24–9 to the eventual
Super Bowl The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
champions,
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
, in the AFC Wildcard Game.


2013

Defensive coordinator
Greg Manusky Gregory Manusky (born August 12, 1966) is an American football coach who is the inside linebacker coach for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. Manusky started his coaching career as a linebacker coach for two teams over six se ...
retained Davis as the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season, along with
Greg Toler Greg Toler (born January 2, 1985) is a former American football cornerback. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Toler was the first and last player from Saint Paul's College, a defunct Division II ...
and nickelback
Darius Butler Darius Jermaine Butler (born March 18, 1986) is a former American football free safety. He played college football at Connecticut. Butler was drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He has also played for t ...
. In Week 4, Davis had a season-high two pass deflections, three solo tackles, and made an interception during their 37–3 victory at the
Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team play ...
. On October 14, 2013, he collected a season-high seven combined tackles in the Colts' 19–9 loss at the
San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
in Week 6. He finished the season with 46 combined tackles (41 solo), 12 pass deflections, and an interception in 16 games and 16 starts. The
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
finished atop their division with an 11–5 record. On January 4, 2014, Davis started in the AFC Wildcard Game and recorded three combined tackles during a 45–44 victory against the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The tea ...
. The following week, he made one tackle in the Colts' 43–22 loss at the
New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
in the AFC Divisional Round. Davis earned an overall grade of 86.0 from Pro Football Focus, which was the sixth highest grade among all qualifying cornerbacks in 2013.


2014

On March 11, 2014, the Indianapolis Colts signed Davis to a four-year, $39 million contract with $20 million guaranteed. Davis and Greg Toler returned as the Colts' starting cornerback duo to begin the 2014 regular season. On October 9, 2014, Davis collected a season-high five combined tackles and a pass deflection during a 33–28 victory at the
Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...
in Week 6. In Week 12, he made two solo tackles, two pass deflections, and returned an interception for 42-yards in the Colts' 23–3 win against the
Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team play ...
. The following week, Davis recorded two combined tackles and two pass deflections before leaving the Colts' 49–27 victory against the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
in the second quarter after sustaining a
concussion A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include loss of consciousness (LOC); memory loss; headaches; difficulty with thinking, concentration, ...
. He received the concussion while attempting to tackle running back
Roy Helu Roy Ziegler Helu Jr. (born December 7, 1988) is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska. Helu set the Redskins' franc ...
and remained on the ground for several minutes before walking off the field on his own will. He remained in the Colts' concussion protocol and was inactive for their Week 14 victory at the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
. On December 23, 2014, it was announced that Davis was selected to the
2015 Pro Bowl The 2015 Pro Bowl was the National Football League's all-star game for the 2014 season. It began at 6 pm local time on January 25 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, and it was the first Pro Bowl to be held outside Hawaii ...
. Davis completed the season with 42 combined tackles (35 solo), a career-high 18 pass deflections, and four interceptions in 15 games and 15 starts. He also led the NFL in lowest opposing passer rating (38.8) and earned an overall grade of 95.1, which was the second highest overall grade among all qualifying cornerbacks in 2014. The
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
finished first in the AFC South with an 11–5 record and reached the AFC Championship before being defeated 45–7 by the
New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
who eventually won
Super Bowl XLIX Super Bowl XLIX was an American football game played to determine the champions of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2014 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots defeated the National Football Conf ...
. During the AFC Divisional Round, Davis recorded eight combined tackles and a career-high five pass deflections in the Colts' 24–13 victory at the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
.


2015

On October 25, 2015, Davis collected a season-high six combined tackles, two pass deflections, and an interception during a 27–21 loss to the
New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
in Week 7. The following week, Davis collected two solo tackles, two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by
Cam Newton Cameron Jerrell Newton (born May 11, 1989) is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He has played for 11 seasons, primarily with the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Super Cam", he is the NFL ...
in the Colts' 29–26 loss at the
Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. T ...
in Week 8. He finished the season with 48 combined tackles (38 solo), 16 pass deflections, and four interceptions in 16 games and 16 starts. On January 25, 2016, Davis was selected to the
2016 Pro Bowl The 2016 Pro Bowl (branded as the 2016 Pro Bowl presented by USAA for sponsorship reasons) was the National Football League's all-star game for the 2015 season, which was played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii on January 31, 2016. As of 20 ...
as a replacement for
Chris Harris Jr. Christopher Harris Jr. (born June 18, 1989) is an American football cornerback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Kansas Jayhawks football, Kansas. He was signed by the Denver Broncos ...
who was playing in
Super Bowl 50 Super Bowl 50 was an American football game to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2015 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) cha ...
as a member of the Denver Broncos. He received an overall grade of 86.9 from Pro Football Focus and ranked third among all qualifying cornerbacks in 2015.


2016

On January 5, 2016, the Indianapolis Colts fired defensive coordinator
Greg Manusky Gregory Manusky (born August 12, 1966) is an American football coach who is the inside linebacker coach for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. Manusky started his coaching career as a linebacker coach for two teams over six se ...
after they finished with an 8–8 record in . Defensive coordinator Ted Monachino retained Davis as the No. 1 starting cornerback to start the season, along with Patrick Robinson. Davis was sidelined for the first two games of the regular season after spraining his ankle in the Colts' first preseason game. On October 16, 2016, Davis recorded a season-high five combined tackles, two pass deflections, and an interception during a 26–23 loss at the
Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...
in Week 6. In Week 16, he made a season-high five solo tackles and broke up a pass in the Colts' 33–25 loss at the
Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...
. He finished the season with 37 combined tackles (34 solo), ten pass deflections, and an interception in 14 games and 14 starts. Pro Football Focus gave Davis an overall grade of 47.3 in 2016.


2017

Davis entered training camp slated as a starting cornerback along with
Rashaan Melvin Rashaan DeMarcus Melvin (born October 2, 1989) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at Northern Illinois, and signed with Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2013. College career Melvin started 27 ...
. He sustained a groin injury during the preseason and was sidelined for the first three games of the regular season (Weeks 1–3). On October 1, 2017, he started in his first game of the season and collected a season-high six solo tackles in the Colts' 46–18 loss at the
Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
in Week 4. On October 29, 2017, Davis collected four combined tackles and a pass deflection during a 24–23 loss at the
Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...
in Week 8. Prior to the game, it was reported that the Indianapolis Colts received inquiries from two teams about possibly trading for Davis. Head coach Chuck Pagano benched Davis in favor of rookie Quincy Wilson during the Colts' Week 9 victory against the Houston Texans in what he called a non-injury related coaching decision. Davis voiced his displeasure and stated he felt disrespected after the Colts did not allow him to travel with the team to Houston. On November 8, 2017, it was reported that Davis decided to have surgery to repair a lingering groin injury he sustained during the preseason, which would take him out of play for the remainder of the season On November 9, 2017, the Indianapolis Colts released Davis, ending a six-year tenure with the team. Davis finished his truncated season with 21 combined tackles (16 solo) and two pass deflections in five games and five starts.
Pro Football Focus Pro Football Focus (also written as ProFootballFocus, and often referred to by its initials, PFF) is a sports analytics company that focuses on thorough analysis of the National Football League (NFL) and NCAA Division-I football in the United Sta ...
gave Davis an overall grade of 45.2, which ranked 103rd among all qualifying cornerbacks in 2017.


Buffalo Bills

On February 26, 2018, Davis signed a one-year deal with the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
worth up to $5 million, with $3.5 million guaranteed. During the September 16, 2018, game against the
Los Angeles Chargers The Los Angeles Chargers are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Chargers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division, and ...
, Davis removed himself from play during the first half, stating he was "done." According to a statement made by head coach
Sean McDermott Sean Michael McDermott (born March 21, 1974) is an American football coach who is the head coach for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He began his NFL coaching career as an assistant for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2001, ...
, it was not immediately clear whether he meant to retire or simply leave that particular game. Following the game, Davis released a statement confirming his retirement. Davis' decision was initially not taken well by his teammates and later lampooned in the media. Davis later commented that his abrupt retirement was due to an abrupt realization that football was no longer what he was meant to be doing, and that "leaving was therapeutic".


NFL career statistics


Regular season


Personal life

Vontae is the younger brother of former
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
,
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
, &
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
'
tight end The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like ...
Vernon Davis Vernon Davis (born January 31, 1984) is a former American football tight end. He played college football at Maryland, and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers sixth overall in the 2006 NFL Draft. In 2009, Davis co-led the NFL in touchdown rec ...
. In June 2009, several media outlets incorrectly reported that Davis was stopped and arrested for traffic infractions in
Champaign, Illinois Champaign ( ) is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 88,302 at the 2020 census. It is the tenth-most populous municipality in Illinois and the fourth most populous city in Illinois outside the Chicago metropo ...
. The incident turned out to be the result of identity theft after Davis's wallet was stolen. In June 2015, Davis married his girlfriend Megan Harpe. , Davis is CEO of a holistic wellness spa that opened in October 2019 in
Fort Lauderdale, Florida Fort Lauderdale () is a coastal city located in the U.S. state of Florida, north of Miami along the Atlantic Ocean. It is the county seat of and largest city in Broward County with a population of 182,760 at the 2020 census, making it the tenth ...
.


References


External links

*
Sports Reference (college)
* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Davis, Vontae 1988 births Living people American football cornerbacks Buffalo Bills players Illinois Fighting Illini football players Indianapolis Colts players Miami Dolphins players Unconferenced Pro Bowl players Players of American football from Washington, D.C. Dunbar High School (Washington, D.C.) alumni American chief executives