Diontae Spencer facts for kids

Diontae Spencer, born on March 19, 1992, is an American professional football player. He is known for playing as a wide receiver and a return specialist. This means he catches passes and also runs back kicks and punts. Diontae grew up in New Iberia, Louisiana. He played college football for the McNeese State Cowboys. In one college game, he gained an amazing 365 yards and scored five touchdowns. He started his professional career in 2015 with the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL. Spencer has also played for teams in the NFL, like the St. Louis Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, and New York Jets.

Diontae Spencer's Pro Football Journey

After college, Diontae Spencer was not chosen in the 2014 NFL draft. However, he still got a chance to show his skills. He joined a mini-camp with the Chicago Bears. This was his first step into professional football.

Playing for the St. Louis Rams

On May 27, 2014, Spencer signed a contract with the St. Louis Rams. This was his first NFL team. However, he was released by the team a couple of months later in July.

Time with the Toronto Argonauts

In December 2014, Spencer signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL. He had two very successful seasons there.

• He caught 107 passes for 1,208 yards.
• He scored six touchdowns.
• He also returned 39 punts and 27 kickoffs.

Excelling with the Ottawa Redblacks

Spencer joined the Ottawa Redblacks after leaving Toronto. He signed with them on the second day of free agency.

Setting a CFL Record

On October 27, 2017, Spencer had an incredible game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He set a new CFL record for all-purpose yards in a single game. He gained 496 yards in total!

• 133 yards from catching passes.
• 165 yards from returning kickoffs.
• 169 yards from returning punts.

2017 Season Highlights

His 2017 season with the Redblacks was outstanding.

• He caught 71 passes for 922 yards.
• He scored six touchdowns.
• He returned 70 punts and 25 kickoffs.

Because of his great performance as a returner, he was named a CFL-East All-Star.

Staying with the Redblacks

On January 31, 2018, Spencer had a tryout with the NFL's Baltimore Ravens. But he decided to stay in the CFL. Less than a week before he could become a free agent, he signed a new contract with the Redblacks on February 7, 2018.

2018 Season and Grey Cup

In 2018, Spencer had his first season with over 1,000 receiving yards. He was again named a CFL-East All-Star as a returner. The Redblacks finished at the top of their division. They made it to the CFL championship game, the 106th Grey Cup. However, they lost to Calgary, 27–16.

Joining the Pittsburgh Steelers

On January 4, 2019, Spencer signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL. This was a chance for him to play in the NFL again. However, he was released by the team on August 31, 2019.

Playing for the Denver Broncos

The very next day, on September 1, 2019, the Denver Broncos picked up Spencer. He signed a one-year contract with the Broncos on April 18, 2020. He was temporarily away from the team in November 2020 but returned in December.

First NFL Touchdown

Spencer scored his first NFL touchdown in Week 14 of the 2020 season. He returned a punt 83 yards for a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers. The Broncos won that game 32–27. For his amazing performance in Week 14, Spencer was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.

He signed another one-year contract with the Broncos on April 16, 2021.

Time with the New York Jets

On September 6, 2022, Spencer signed with the practice squad of the New York Jets. He was released and re-signed a few times over the next month. He signed a contract to stay with the team on January 31, 2023. However, he was placed on injured reserve in July 2023 and then released.