Dominique Dafney facts for kids

Dominique Dafney is an American football player. He was born on June 3, 1997. He plays as a tight end for the Carolina Panthers in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football. He played for the Iowa Hawkeyes and Indiana State Sycamores. He started his NFL journey with the Indianapolis Colts in 2020. He also played for the Green Bay Packers.

College Football Journey

Dominique Dafney started his college football career at Iowa Western Community College. He played there for one season as a wide receiver. After that, he moved to the University of Iowa. He joined the Hawkeyes team.

Playing for the Hawkeyes

Dafney played two seasons with the Hawkeyes. During this time, he mostly played on special teams. Special teams are groups of players who handle kickoffs, punts, and field goals.

Time with the Sycamores

After his junior year, he transferred to Indiana State University. He played one season for the Sycamores. It was a very successful year for him. He ran for 439 yards and scored six touchdowns. He also caught 15 passes for 196 yards and one touchdown. He was recognized as a second-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference player. Towards the end of his senior year, he also started playing from the wildcat position. This is a special offensive play where a player other than the quarterback takes the snap.

Professional Football Career

Dominique Dafney began his professional career in 2020. He was not chosen in the NFL Draft. This means he was an undrafted free agent.

First Time with the Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts signed Dafney on August 26, 2020. However, he was released by the Colts on September 8, 2020. This happened during the final cuts before the season started.

Playing for the Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers signed Dafney to their practice squad on October 12, 2020. A practice squad is a group of players who train with the team but are not on the main roster.

First NFL Moments

He was moved to the main team for a game on December 5. This was for their Week 13 game against the Philadelphia Eagles. After the game, he went back to the practice squad. On December 12, he was officially promoted to the active roster.

On December 27, 2020, Dafney made his first NFL catch. It was a 13-yard reception from quarterback Aaron Rodgers. This happened during a game against the Tennessee Titans. On January 3, 2021, he scored his first NFL touchdown. This was in a game against the Chicago Bears.

Later Seasons with the Packers

On September 25, 2021, Dafney was placed on injured reserve. This means he could not play due to an injury. He was able to play again on October 28, 2021. He stayed with the Packers for a while longer. On August 16, 2022, he was waived due to an injury. He then became a free agent.

Time with Other Teams

After leaving the Packers, Dafney played for several other NFL teams.

Denver Broncos

On September 13, 2022, Dafney joined the Denver Broncos practice squad. He was released from the team on October 10, 2022.

Second Time with the Indianapolis Colts

On December 20, 2022, Dafney signed with the Indianapolis Colts practice squad again. He was released from this team on December 29.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

On January 23, 2023, Dafney signed a contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This was a reserve/future contract. He was waived by the team on August 28.

Memphis Showboats

On February 21, 2024, Dafney signed with the Memphis Showboats. This team is part of the United Football League (UFL). He was waived by the Showboats on March 23.

Carolina Panthers

On December 3, 2024, Dafney signed with the Carolina Panthers practice squad. He signed a reserve/future contract with them on January 6, 2025.

NFL Career Statistics

Here are Dominique Dafney's statistics from his time in the NFL regular season: