The ex-wife of NFL star Vontae Davis has told DailyMail.com exclusively how she struggled to get him treatment for crippling CTE symptoms prior to his tragic spiral into drugs and death.

Cornerback Vontae, 35 – brother of Super Bowl winner Vernon Davis – was found slumped naked on the floor of his gym when a housekeeper arrived at his Florida mansion in April 2024.

He tested positive for methamphetamine, MDMA and cannabis, however, a medical examiner could not reach a firm conclusion on the retired athlete’s cause of death, ruling it ‘undetermined’.

An autopsy did not record any irregularities in Vontae’s brain but his ex-wife Megan Harpe is convinced that CTE – chronic traumatic encephalopathy – is to blame.

The devastating brain injury is caused by repeated blows to the head during contact sports like boxing and football.

Studies suggest that more than 300 deceased NFL players suffered from the condition, which can only be definitively diagnosed after death and causes memory loss, depression and suicidal thoughts.

Vontae Davis’s autopsy did not record any irregularities in his brain, but his ex-wife Megan Harpe is convinced that CTE – chronic traumatic encephalopathy – is to blame for his downward spiral that led to his death at age 35

Vontae died at his home in Southwest Ranches, Florida in April 2024. An autopsy found he tested positive for methamphetamine, MDMA and cannabis, however a medical examiner ruled his death as ‘undetermined’

Megan Harpe told DailyMail.com that Vontae’s struggles before and after his NFL career were vastly different and that he presented symptoms of CTE after his retirement

‘The struggles Vontae endured during and after his NFL career – the confusion, mood changes, memory loss, impulsivity, changes in character, extreme changes in behavior – were real,’ Megan, 38, told DailyMail.com.

‘I never needed a CTE diagnosis to know what I was dealing with when Vontae retired. Those symptoms shaped the final year of his life, which ended too soon.’

Former first round pick Vontae suited up for the Dolphins, Colts and Bills for ten seasons but shocked the sport in 2018 by removing himself from a game at halftime, declaring that he was ‘done’.

He told reporters his body was worn down by multiple injuries and surgeries and that he was worried about the risks of CTE.

Vontae married Florida-based attorney Megan in 2015 when he was at the peak of his football career and had made back-to-back Pro Bowls.

Behind the scenes his health was beginning to crumble. ‘When the symptoms presented, we were both worried,’ Megan revealed.

Former first round pick Vontae suited up for the Dolphins, Colts and Bills for ten seasons, but shocked the sport in 2018 by removing himself from a game at halftime, declaring that he was ‘done’ 

Vontae (No 21) pictured during his playing days with the Indianapolis Colts back in 2015

Harpe is a Florida-based attorney and married Vontae in 2015. They stayed married until his lifestyle habits and reclusive habits  destroyed their marriage which led him to file for divorce in 2023

‘I remember him distinctively saying to me “Baby I am scared. What if I am never normal again.” He wavered between thinking he was OK and needing treatment.’

It took time, and a lot of convincing, but he eventually agreed to receive treatment at a facility known for treating substance abuse issues and common symptoms ᴀssociated with CTE.

‘His time at the program was short lived. The facility did not think he qualified for the long term, lock down, intensive care I was looking for.

‘They stepped him down from the program after a few short weeks and wished me good luck.’

Megan said Vontae convinced himself that his problems had gone away and that he didn’t need further treatment.

‘It was at that point that I lost him,’ she continued. 

Harpe said the CTE facility that Vontae was being treated at released him because they didn’t think he was qualified for long-term inpatient care

In February 2023, only a month after Vontae filed for divorce, he was found asleep at the side of the road after crashing his Tesla on a Florida highway 

‘Ultimately, I was left to deal with the aftermath of his unresolved issues on my own, despite reaching out for help. As his symptoms worsened, our marriage fell apart and he continued to deteriorate.’

He eventually shut me out completely. He isolated from his true friends and people that genuinely cared for him, and engaged in a lifestyle that I did not know he was capable of.’

Vontae filed for divorce in January 2023, describing the relationship as ‘irretrievably broken’. A month later he was involved in a horrifying crash in which he slammed his Tesla into a stationary truck on his way home from a club then fell asleep on the side of the highway until he was awoken by cops and arrested.

Vontae faced six charges – including DUI – but avoided jail time by pleading no contest to a lesser charge of reckless driving and was sentenced to 12 months’ probation and 50 hours of community service.

Various drugs were found scattered around his $5million Southwest Ranches mansion in the aftermath of his death, including cannabis gummies, brown powders and various pink and clear capsules.

Vernon, 41, admitted to investigators that his younger brother had a history of ‘alcohol and illicit drug use’.

Vontae dozed off beside the wreckage and struggled to stay awake even after cops placed him in the back of a patrol car, according to an arrest warrant 

Vernon Davis (right) admitted to investigators that his younger brother had a history of ‘alcohol and illicit drug use’ 

Read MoreEXCLUSIVE Vontae Davis’ autopsy results revealed a year after the former NFL star was found ᴅᴇᴀᴅ in his home gym

His personal ᴀssistant, Valentina Bukharova, said it wasn’t unusual for him to exhibit ‘erratic behavior’.

Megan refutes any suggestion that Vontae was an addict, however, insisting that her NFL star ex only turned to drugs to ‘mitigate’ his CTE symptoms.

‘Vontae was not a drug addict, and he did not have a history of illicit drug use,’ she insisted.

‘Vontae was suffering from undiagnosed mental health issues and symptoms consistent with CTE. As most people know, substance abuse can be a byproduct of that.’

He treated his body like a temple during his NFL career and thereafter, as evidenced in the wellness facility he opened.

‘He spent time mentoring foster children, traveling, and finding ways to give back to communities like the one he came from. That is who Vontae was.’

Vontae, his brother and mother Jacqueline, who pᴀssed in 2021. Harpe said he shouldn’t be defined by his death and that he spent his time mentoring foster children and giving back to the community

Megan wants to see more research and resources poured into treating CTE in the wake of Vontae’s death.

A September 2024 survey of former pro football players found that as many as a third feared they had symptoms of the disorder.

Of the 1,980 respondents, more than 230 players said they had suffered suicidal thoughts and 176 said they had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia.

The 300-or-so players diagnosed posthumously include former Chicago Bears safety Dave Duerson, a four-time Pro Bowler, who sH๏τ himself in the chest in 2011 after writing a note asking for his brain to be examined.

Retired San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau killed himself the following year. A study of his brain later revealed damage consistent with CTE.

‘Vontae’s suffering is not isolated or unique. I have had conversations with women who are going through similar situations,’ Megan added.

Harpe speaking to a highschool class about her law career. She said more ‘dedicated investigation’ needs to be put into CTE to prevent the loss of former NFL stars 

‘Too many families are living through similar tragedies, watching loved ones change before their eyes, often without clear answers or adequate support. The problem is nobody cares.

‘We urgently need more thoughtful, dedicated investigation into CTE and other neurodegenerative diseases linked to repeтιтive head trauma.

‘We need research, not just into the causes, but into early detection, treatment, and prevention. We need care systems that truly understand what these individuals and families are facing.

‘And most of all, we need to start treating these losses as preventable – not inevitable.’