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LOOK: After retiring at halftime, former Illinois CB Vontae Davis releases statement

Kevin Cunningham

By Kevin Cunningham

Published:

Vontae Davis was reported to have told a Buffalo Bills coach at halftime during his game on Sunday that he was done.

He left the team and was seen in street clothes. The report appears to be true, as soon after the game, the former Illinois CB released this statement:

If you’re not feeling something, you shouldn’t do it. Trust your gut. And Davis’ gut told him that he was done.

What is awkward about it is the timing. Maybe for many players in the NFL, it does just happen during a game and they may sleep on it and then play out the season and call it quits. We don’t know.

But according to Davis, he felt that he was done while on the field during the Bills-Chargers game on Sunday. Once halftime came, he figured, why keep playing?

People may throw shade at the former Fighting Illini member for the timing of it all, but again, he didn’t feel right.

It’s his career and the decision he made was one that he felt right about at the time. Davis spent 10 seasons in the NFL and was a two-time pro bowler.

Davis was drafted in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. During his time at Illinois, Davis was a two-time First-Team All-Big Ten member (2007, 2008).

Kevin Cunningham

Kevin covers Big Ten football for Saturday Tradition.