NFL players paid tribute to ex-Colts CB Vontae Davis after his tragic death

Former NFL cornerback Vontae Davis is dead at the age of 35, according to USA TODAY.

A 10-year NFL veteran, Davis first rose to prominence as a standout, tough-nosed player with the University of Illinois’s football team in the mid-2000s. With the stellar Davis in the fold, Illinois qualified for the 2008 Rose Bowl, which, to this day, is the school’s only appearance in the big bowl game in the 21st century.

Davis would go on to be drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He made his hay as a professional during a six-year stint with the Indianapolis Colts from 2012 to 2017. Davis earned two Pro Bowl selections on a team that made three playoff appearances, including a run to the 2015 AFC title game. Toward the tail end of his career, Davis made a short appearance with the 2018 Buffalo Bills before shortly retiring from the league into the regular season. He recorded 22 interceptions and nearly 400 tackles (396) during his career.

News of Davis’s death was not received well by other active and former NFL players, who were shocked to learn of the 35-year-old’s passing.