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Former NFL All-Pro tight end Vernon Davis addressed the death of his brother, former Pro Bowl cornerback Vontae Davis, in an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail on Wednesday (April 3).
The elder Davis said he "couldn't have asked for a better little brother" and revealed that Vontae slipped after stepping out of a sauna before being found dead on Monday (April 1).
"This thing definitely caught me by surprise. I just don't know what to make of it," Vernon told the Daily Mail. "I'm leaning on the detectives to figure it out but right now we have no answers. They are going to run tests and they said they'll get back to us.
"It could be as long as a month, a month and a half, until we know anything."
Vontae, 35, was identified as the male body found at the Southwest Ranches home of his grandmother, Adaline, on Monday (April 1), WSVN reported. Chester Frazier, who was a student-athlete at the University of Illinois with Davis and currently works as the assistant coach of the Illini men's basketball team, had previously reported Davis' death on his X account, but responded "me too" when another account wrote that they hoped the report was "a cruel joke."
"#Illinination we lost a great today!!! RIP TO @vontaedavis man nothing but good memories of that dude in school!!! Praying for the Davis family!!" Frazier wrote on his X account Monday.
Davis was a two-time Pro Bowl selection during his 10-year NFL career, which abruptly ended after he removed himself from the Buffalo Bills' Week 2 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, stating that he was "done" at the time. The veteran cornerback issued a statement after the game confirming his retirement, which was met with criticism by some teammates and media members.
Davis was selected by the Miami Dolphins at No. 25 overall in the 2009 NFL Draft after a decorated collegiate career at Illinois, which included being a two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2007 and 2008. The Washington, D.C. native spent his first three seasons with the Dolphins before being traded to the Indianapolis Colts, spending six seasons with the franchise, which included being selected to the Pro Bowl in 2014 and 2015.
"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 on their X account.
In November, Davis agreed to plead no contest to a reckless driving charge and prosecutors agreed to not move forward with the more serious charges -- including misdemeanor driving under the influence -- he initially faced. The former cornerback was ordered to pay fines and fees, medical bills for the victims injured during the incident and complete 50 hours of community service as part of the plea deal.
Photos obtained by TMZ Sports in February showed Davis asleep on the side of the Florida Turnpike prior to his recent arrest. The 35-year-old appeared to be unconscious on the pavement next to a Tesla vehicle with significant damage.
A witness told TMZ Sports that Davis remained asleep even after police approached him at the scene. Dash cam footage previously obtained by TMZ Sports showed Davis struggling to stay awake and slurring his speech while being questioned by officers in the back of a police vehicle.
The former cornerback was arrested on a misdemeanor driving under the influence charge. Davis told officers, "I was tired," when asked why he was found sleeping on the road and said he was coming from a club and had two mixed drinks prior to driving the vehicle.
Another person driving the vehicle struck by Davis' car was reportedly taken to a hospital to be treated for multiple injuries.