We haven’t seen anything like that before in the world of American football. On Sunday, 16th of September, during a match against the Chargers from Los Angeles with his team from the New Era Field in Buffalo, the player Vontae Davis decided to call an end to his career without even waiting for the match to be over.
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An unprecedented move
It was in the middle of half time when his teammates were back in the changing room to recuperate that the cornerback told them bluntly that he was leaving. 'He left the match all by himself. He wasn’t injured. He then just let us know that he was done with football', explained his coach, Sean McDermott, still in shock.
A decision both brutal and unexpected that totally confused Davis’ teammates, particularly Lorenzo Alexander who even described his behaviour as 'disrespectful'. 'I’ve never seen anything like that: not in youth teams, not in high school or amongst professionals, never. He didn’t tell anybody. I realised that he wasn’t there anymore when we were back on the field for the second half of the match. They told us he was retiring, that’s all.' said Alexander.
A few hours after leaving his team, Vontae Davis decided to nevertheless explain his choice through a press release on the NFL’s official account.
'The reality hit me hard and quick'
'This is not how I imagined my last match in the NFL (...) But today on the field, the reality hit me hard and quick: I shouldn’t play anymore' - the young man, whose career with Buffalo started last February after his three seasons in Miami (2009-11) and six in Indianapolis (2012-17), explained himself.
'I didn’t mean to be disrespectful towards my teammates and coaches. I’m the kind of person that expects a lot from himself. In my head I always hope to play at my best, but today I realised that physically it wasn’t possible anymore. I realised it on the field. I didn’t feel like I was myself and I asked myself whether all those sacrifices were still worth it. It was a difficult decision, but I’m at peace with myself and with my family.' concluded the one who will never wear cleats again.
