Donald De La Haye facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Donald De La Haye

De La Haye in 2020
No. 11 – San Antonio Brahmas
Position:	Placekicker
Personal information
Born:	(1996-12-02) December 2, 1996 (age 28) Limón, Costa Rica
Height:	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight:	170 lb (77 kg)
Career information
High school:	Port St. Lucie (FL)
College:	UCF (2015–2016)
Career history
As player:
Toronto Argonauts (2019) San Antonio Brahmas (2024–present)
As administrator:
FCF Glacier Boyz (2022–present) (Owner)
Roster status:	Active
Career UFL statistics as of Week 3, 2025
Field goals made: 5 Field goal attempts: 7 Field goal %: 71.4 Points scored: 15 Longest field goal: 55 Touchbacks: 0 Tackles: 1
Player stats at CFL.ca

Donald De La Haye (born December 2, 1996) is a famous YouTuber and a professional American football player. Online, he is known as Deestroying. He plays as a kicker for the San Antonio Brahmas in the United Football League (UFL).

Donald first became well-known during his college years. He played football for the University of Central Florida (UCF). He gained public attention when the NCAA told him he couldn't make money from his YouTube videos. This event helped change rules for student athletes.

Early Life and College Football

Donald De La Haye was born in Limón, Costa Rica. When he was seven, his family moved to the United States. He grew up in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

He played football for the University of Central Florida from 2015 to 2016. He was a kickoff specialist and holder. He also played a bit of wide receiver. Donald studied marketing at UCF.

Why Donald Lost His College Eligibility

In 2017, Donald faced a big problem with the NCAA. The NCAA makes rules for college sports. One rule said that college athletes could not make money from their own name, image, or videos. Donald had a popular YouTube channel where he showed his kicking skills.

The NCAA told him he had to stop making money from his videos. If he wanted to keep his scholarship and play football, he couldn't use his name or face in his videos. Donald chose to keep his YouTube channel going normally. This meant he lost his football scholarship and could no longer play for UCF.

Donald later sued UCF in 2018. They reached an agreement that allowed him to finish his education there. Since then, he has become friends with UCF again. He has attended games and even been invited to football events.

Donald's situation was one of many that showed how college athletes couldn't earn money. His case helped lead to new rules. Now, in many states like California and Florida, college athletes can make money from their name, image, and likeness (NIL).

Donald's YouTube Journey

After leaving the UCF football team, Donald focused more on his YouTube channel, "Deestroying." He started the channel in 2015 when he was a teenager.

His videos began with funny skits about football and amazing trick shots. Over time, his channel grew. He started making gaming videos and impersonating famous National Football League players. He also worked with real NFL players like Cam Newton and Tyreek Hill. Donald even partnered with the NFL to create content.

When he left UCF, he had about 94,000 subscribers. Now, his channel has over 6.2 million subscribers! He has also worked with other YouTubers, like Logan Paul.

Professional Football Career

Donald always dreamed of playing in the NFL. He often showed his practice kicks in his videos, hoping to get noticed by a team.

Playing for the Toronto Argonauts

De La Haye with the Argonauts in 2019

On May 19, 2019, Donald signed with the Toronto Argonauts. This team plays in the Canadian Football League. His signing brought over 15,000 new followers to the Argonauts' Instagram page.

He played in two preseason games. He made one field goal from 16 yards and had one punt for 46 yards. He was then put on the practice team. Because of rules about how many American players a team can have, the Argonauts later put him on a "Suspended list." This allowed him to keep making YouTube videos, which he said earned him more money than being on the practice squad.

Donald kept practicing his kicks and making videos. In 2021, he shared a video about being invited to work out for the NFL Scouting Combine. He also won a kickoff competition that year.

Joining the San Antonio Brahmas

On January 30, 2024, Donald signed with the San Antonio Brahmas of the United Football League. He competed for the starting kicker spot and won it on March 10, 2024.

In his first two games, he was mainly a kickoff specialist. The Brahmas did not try any field goals in those games. On April 8, 2024, he was placed on injured reserve. This happened after he got multiple neck fractures while making a tackle during a kickoff return.

Donald re-signed with the Brahmas on October 29, 2024. He said he wanted to keep playing football. In the Brahmas' first game of the 2025 season, he made his first field goal since high school. It was a 39-yard kick.

In Week 3 of the 2025 season, Donald made 3 out of 4 field goals. He kicked a career-long 55-yard field goal.

UFL Career Stats

Esports and Other Activities

In April 2022, Donald De La Haye joined FaZe Clan, a well-known esports organization. He played in a flag football game with FaZe Clan during the 2022 Pro Bowl.

Donald was also a co-owner of the FCF Glacier Boyz. This is a team in Fan Controlled Football. He owned the team with other famous people like Quavo and Richard Sherman.

See also

In Spanish: Donald De La Haye para niños