NFL star Vontae Davis called it quits Sunday in the middle of the Chargers-Bills game.
Davis, a cornerback for the Buffalo Bills, stunned his coaches and fellow athletes over the weekend when he decided to retire during halftime, announcing, “I shouldn’t be out there anymore.”
Official statement from CB @vontaedavis. pic.twitter.com/8WXszhnrUo
— NFL (@NFL) September 16, 2018
The 10-year veteran player said he meant no disrespect to his teammates, but felt he was no longer an effective athlete on the field, according to ESPN.
Buffalo Bills linebacker Lorenzo Alexander tipped reporters off to Davis’ abrupt decision. He said he hasn’t “ever” known of any player to retire mid-game. Alexander described the cornerback’s retirement as “completely disrespectful to his teammates.”
Davis faced plenty of criticism for his sudden exit:
"I've never heard of leaving the game in the middle of the game." – @DeionSanders
The @NFLGameDay Prime crew discusses Vontae Davis' retirement during halftime vs. the Chargers https://t.co/LqyKrGEP25
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) September 17, 2018
But in his statement, the 30-year-old football player credited God numerous times for his success and ultimate decision to walk away.
“This was an overwhelming decision, but I’m at peace with myself and my family. I choose to be grateful to God for allowing me to play the game that I have loved as a boy until I turned 30 years old,” Davis wrote. “I choose to be grateful to God for being part of the NFL and making lifelong friends over the last decade.”
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“There were roadblocks and pitfalls along the way, but I am grateful to God for all of it, because he doesn’t promise any of us an easy journey,” he continued. “Lastly, I am grateful to God for what he has in store for me ahead, in this next chapter of my life.”
Davis signed a one-year contract with the Bills in February, including a $2.25 million base salary along with a $1.5 million signing bonus. Of that salary, $2 million is guaranteed to go to the retired athlete.
The team’s head coach, Sean McDermott, said of Davis’ retirement, “When I get back in here, we’ll continue to communicate on what exactly is going on there and we’ll go from there.”