Vernon Davis and Vontae Davis are among the rare sibling duos to both find success in the NFL.
Vernon, who is the older brother, was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 2006. The tight end was traded to the Denver Broncos in 2015 and won Super Bowl 50 with the team before signing with the Washington Redskins one year later. Vernon retired in 2019 after also earning two Pro Bowl selections.
Vontae, who is five years younger, was drafted by the Miami Dolphins during the 2009 draft. He also played for the Indianapolis Colts and Buffalo Bills before retiring from the NFL in 2018. (He made two Pro Bowls in his career ahead of his departure.)
After cheering for each other on the field, Vontae and Vernon continued to root off the field.
“Watching my brother, @vernondavis85 being a father is like watching an artist perfect his masterpiece. His strength defines them, his love shapes them. An incredible father, and a phenomenal man. Salute to you, champ! #BestDadEver #familyfirst,” Vontae wrote via Instagram about Vernon, who shares three kids with Janel Horne, in June 2023
Less than a year later, news broke in April 2024 that Vontae died at age 35. WSVN reported at the time that police and the Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office arrived at a residence in Southwest Ranches, Florida, where Vontae was found deceased and that no foul play was involved.
Keep scrolling for a guide to Vontae and Vernon’s family:
Vontae and Vernon Davis’ Mom
Vernon was estranged from his mother, Jacqueline Davies, for most of his life because of her past drug addiction.
“Watching my mom on drugs walking up and down the street was totally embarrassing for me as a kid,” he told the Daily Mail in 2021. “As I got older, it lived in me and I had to learn how to channel those emotions because I had so much anger, pain and embarrassment inside of me.”
Vernon was able to reconcile with his mother shortly before her death from COVID. He recalled having to take his mom off life support after was left brain dead after suffering cardiac arrest from the illness.
“I watched my mother take her last breath. And it was the most painful thing that I have had to go through,” he added, noting that he got back in touch with his mother five years before her passing. “I did the best thing a son could ever do for his mom, is show up when she’s about to take her last breath. Other opportunities will come, you just have to be patient.”
Vernon Davis
Vernon’s NFL career expanded 13 years, and 1 Super Bowl win.
Off the field, Vernon opened an art gallery in San Jose, California, and acquired a chain of Jamba Juice franchises. He has also hosted a reunion for The Challenge: Total Madness in 2020 before competing on the 29th season of Dancing With the Stars.
Vernon served as a judge for season 1 of Domino Masters before starring in movies such as The Ritual Killer and Plan B.
In 2016, Horne accused Vernon of being unfaithful with a much younger woman in a since-deleted Instagram post. The pair didn’t address the cheating allegations — or the status of their relationship — in the years following the scandal.
Vontae Davis
After Vontae left football, he became the CEO of a holistic wellness spa. He also released a children’s book titled The Middle School Rules of Vontae Davis shortly before his death.
Michael Davis
Their youngest brother, Michael Davis, made headlines in 2012 when he was charged with first-degree murder. The authorities accused a then-19-year-old Michael of killing 66-year-old Gary Dederichs by hitting him on the head with a hammer. Michael was also suspected of being involved in three similar attacks, which he was never charged for.
Michael was arrested on two charges of assault with intent to kill while armed. He was later declared incompetent to stand trial by the judge in the case. Michael was subsequently treated at a psychiatric hospital in hopes of restoring his competency.
Megan Harpe
After several years of dating, Vontae and Megan Harpe got married in 2015. Vontae largely kept Megan out of the spotlight and she didn’t appear on his public platforms before his death.
Their Grandmother
According to Vernon, their grandmother raised them due to their mother’s addiction and their father being largely absent.
“My grandmother raised my six siblings and I. We grew up in a three-bedroom home in Washington, DC. My mom was always on drugs. My dad was never around,” he told the Daily Mail. “My mom and my dad never came to a football game as a kid.”
Vontae, meanwhile, shared photos of his grandmother on social media over the years. According to the Florida police, Vontae was found dead in his grandmother’s home. A case of death was not revealed at the time but the authorities ruled out foul play.