Former NFL tight end Vernon Davis is desperate for answers after Vontae Davis, his younger brother, unexpectedly died earlier this week, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Breaking his silence on Wednesday, Vernon revealed Vontae had just wrapped up a sauna session when he either collapsed or slipped at his Florida home. However, until the autopsy report is released, Vernon can only speculate about what may have caused his brother's death.
"This thing definitely caught me by surprise," Vernon, 40, told Daily Mail. "I just don't know what to make of it."
He said Vontae recently seemed to be healthy and "never really showed a history of using drugs or anything like that."
"I was at his house two weeks ago and he had the massage therapist there. He had a stretch therapist, a chiropractor, you name it," Vernon, who played 14 seasons on the 49ers, Redskins, and Broncos, said.
There were no signs of a break-in or any disarray at the $4 million home in Southwest Ranches where Vontae, a retired Buffalo Bills cornerback, was found unresponsive in a gym on Monday. Police told RadarOnline.com that foul play was not suspected based on initial findings.
"I'm leaning on the detectives to figure it out but right now we have no answers," Vernon said. "They are going to run tests and they said they'll get back to us."
An official with the Broward County Medical Examiner's Office told RadarOnline.com Wednesday morning that an autopsy had been completed, but results were pending further forensic testing. The body was ready for release to a funeral home, the spokesperson said.
"It could be as long as a month, a month and a half, until we know anything," Vernon noted.
Vontae's ex-wife, Megan Harpe, also reportedly told Daily Mail earlier this week that she suspected the former athlete had been suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The condition, common among pro football players, is caused by continuous blows to the head.
"Yes he had CTE … there is definitely a story here," Harpe reportedly said in a text message.
Vernon said he was unaware of his brother having such a brain injury.
"Maybe that's the case, maybe it's not. We don't really have an answer to that because there is no way to see into our brain while we live," he said.
However, Vontae himself expressed concern over the injuries he had sustained while playing the sport after his abrupt retirement mid-game in 2019.
He released a statement shortly afterward that read in part, "This Isn't how I pictured retiring from the NFL."
"But in my 10th NFL season I have been doing what my body has been programmed to do. Get ready to play on game day. I've endured multiple injuries and played through many different injuries throughout my career and over the last few weeks, this was the latest physical challenge."
Vontae's health was also called into question in 2023 when he was found passed out on a highway next to his wrecked Tesla after crashing into a truck, TMZ reported at the time.
Photos obtained by the outlet showed him lying on the roadside, where he stayed asleep until police arrived. When he was put into a cop car, he reportedly admitted to having two "mixed drinks" before driving and said he had no memory of the accident.
The ordeal ultimately led to his conviction for reckless driving, and the former footballer was sentenced to a year's probation and 50 hours of community service.
Before his time with the Bills, Vontae spent six years with the Indianapolis Colts, making two Pro Bowls in 2014 and 2015. He began his career playing for the Miami Dolphins from 2009 to 2011.
Vernon said he and his brother overcame a "tough background" as they each carved out successful careers with the NFL.
"We were four years apart but I remember waking him up to do workouts when he was young and I was in high school. I made him do it because I wanted him to succeed even more than I wanted myself to succeed," Vernon said, adding, "I could not have picked a better little brother."