A lot of sports fans romanticize the manner in which a player walks away from the game. Michael Jordan hitting the game-winning shot against the Jazz before his departure from the NBA (albeit coming back with the Washington Wizards). John Elway winning two Super Bowls then calling it a career. Those are among the movie-like endings that seem all too perfect. On the flip side, there’s what Buffalo Bills cornerback Vontae Davis did, quite literally walking away from the game … a game in progress.
According to other Buffalo players, Davis told his now former-teammates at halftime of the Bills/Chargers game that he was done with the game of football.
Bills LB Lorenzo Alexander said he was told CB Vontae Davis quit the team and retired at halftime of Sunday’s game. “It’s completely disrespectful,” Alexander said. https://t.co/IbnsMU9MEx pic.twitter.com/zkxXsNlq9r
— Mike Rodak (@mikerodak) September 16, 2018
Davis and the Bills were losing 28-6 at the break and ultimately lost 31-20. The player in question recorded a solo tackle during the first half of the game. Then went into the locker room and made his intentions to no longer play be known.
Following the game, Vontae Davis released a statement that was shared via the NFL’s social media:
Official statement from CB @vontaedavis. pic.twitter.com/8WXszhnrUo
— NFL (@NFL) September 16, 2018
Prior to the this, Davis’ career wasn’t without controversy. While playing for the Indianapolis Colts, Davis got into a bit of a he said/team said quarrel over the nature of an injury at the time. As a result, the Colts released him in midseason in 2017. He didn’t return to the field last season after playing the first five games. During the last offseason, the cornerback signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Buffalo Bills.
This was Vontae Davis’ tenth season out of the University of Illinois. The Miami Dolphins selected him with the 25th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft and then traded him to the Colts for a second-round pick following the 2011 season.
In total, Davis accumulated 120 NFL games played with 22 interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), 106 passes defended, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and 356 tackles with 52 assists.
Vontae Davis was a heck of a player throughout his career and was named to two Pro Bowl squads in 2014 and 2015. However, his departure appears to be anything but the stuff movies are made of.
