Ben DeLuca
{{Short description|American football player (born 1998)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Ben DeLuca
| image = St. Louis BattleHawks vs. DC Defenders (52734719812).jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = DeLuca with the St. Louis BattleHawks in 2023
| current_team = Calgary Stampeders
| number =
| position = Safety
| birth_date = {{birth date and age |1998|4|9|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = Orlando, Florida, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lb = 202
| high_school = Bishop Moore
(Orlando, Florida)
| college = Charlotte (2016–2020)
| undraftedyear = 2021
| pastteams =
- Los Angeles Chargers ({{NFL Year|2021|2022}})
- St. Louis BattleHawks ({{XFL Year|2023}}–{{UFL Year|2024}})
- Calgary Stampeders ({{CFL Year|2025}}–present)
| status = Active
| cflstatus = American
| highlights =
| statleague =
| statseason =
| statweek =
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 3
| statlabel2 = Pass deflections
| statvalue2 =
| statlabel3 = Interceptions
| statvalue3 =
| statlabel4 = Forced fumbles
| statvalue4 =
| statlabel5 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue5 =
| statlabel6 = Defensive touchdowns
| statvalue6 =
| pfr = D/DeLuBe00
| cfl = ben-deluca/166317/
}}
Stephen Benito DeLuca Jr. (born April 9, 1998) is an American professional football safety for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Charlotte.
College career
DeLuca was a member of the Charlotte 49ers for five seasons. He suffered a shoulder injury in the second game of his senior season and utilized a medical redshirt.{{cite web|url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/college/charlotte-49ers/article244902962.html|title=Charlotte 49ers counting on Ben DeLuca and Tyriq Harris|work=The Charlotte Observer|date=August 12, 2020|access-date=December 12, 2021}} DeLuca finished his college career with 313 tackles, nine forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, and 17 passes broken up, all of which are school records, and had four interceptions.{{cite web|url=https://www.thecharlotteweekly.com/southcltweekly/3-charlotte-49ers-sign-with-nfl-teams-as-undrafted-free-agents/article_df464380-ab64-11eb-be07-e752812e2b76.html|title=3 Charlotte 49ers sign with NFL teams as undrafted free agents|work=Charlotte Weekly|date=May 2, 2021|access-date=December 12, 2021}}
Professional career
= Los Angeles Chargers =
DeLuca signed with the Los Angeles Chargers as an undrafted free agent on May 3, 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/florida-recruiting/os-sp-undrafted-ben-deluca-signs-with-chargers-20210502-g45awho4m5dzdhuvwris6zblda-story.html|title=Undrafted Ben DeLuca of Bishop Moore to sign with Los Angeles Chargers|work=Orlando Sentinel|date=May 3, 2021|access-date=December 12, 2021}} He was waived on August 31, 2021, during final roster cuts and was re-signed to the practice squad the next day.{{cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/os-sp-nfl-cuts-2021-martez-ivey-20210831-2tsvszc4y5ek3ktl3xa5n3ukfy-story.html|title=Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Martez Ivey released; Adrian Killins on IR; Ben DeLuca to Chargers practice squad|work=Orlando Sentinel|date=August 31, 2021|access-date=December 12, 2021}} DeLuca was elevated to the active roster on December 12, 2021, for the team's Week 14 game against the New York Giants.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/chargers/story/2021-12-11/derwin-james-questionable-chargers-giants-injury-nfl|title=Derwin James questionable (hamstring) for Chargers vs. Giants|work=Los Angeles Times|date=December 11, 2021|access-date=December 12, 2021}} He signed a reserve/future contract with the Chargers on January 11, 2022.{{cite web|title=Los Angeles Chargers Re-Sign 11 Players to Contracts|url=https://www.chargers.com/news/chargers-re-sign-11-players-to-contracts|website=Chargers.com|date=January 11, 2022|access-date=January 14, 2022|archive-date=May 12, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220512030534/https://www.chargers.com/news/chargers-re-sign-11-players-to-contracts|url-status=dead}}
On August 30, 2022, DeLuca was waived by the Chargers.{{cite web|title=Los Angeles Chargers Reduce Roster to 53 Players|url=https://www.chargers.com/news/chargers-reduce-2022-roster-to-53-players|website=Chargers.com|date=August 30, 2022}}
= St. Louis BattleHawks =
On November 17, 2022, DeLuca was drafted by the St. Louis BattleHawks of the XFL.{{Cite web |date=2022-11-18 |title=Rosters for all eight XFL teams: Full draft results and where Vic Beasley, Martavis Bryant landed |url=https://www.espn.com/xfl/story/_/id/35053464/xfl-draft-results-2023-full-rosters-eight-teams-vic-beasley-martavis-bryant-picks |access-date=2022-12-30 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}} He was placed on the team's reserve list on March 23, 2023.{{cite web |title=XFL Transactions |url=https://www.xfl.com/xfl-transactions |website=XFL.com |access-date=March 28, 2023}} He re-signed with the team on January 29, 2024.{{cite tweet |user=UFL_PR |title=The United Football League has announced the following transactions |number=1752119438571425845 |date=January 29, 2024 |access-date=January 29, 2024}} He was placed on injured reserve on April 18, 2024.{{Cite web |title=UFL Transactions |url=https://uflboard.com/ufl-transactions/ |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=UFLBoard.com |language=en-US}} He was activated on May 30.
= Calgary Stampeders =
On March 19, 2025, DeLuca signed with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL).{{cite web|url=https://3downnation.com/2025/03/19/calgary-stampeders-sign-four-including-rb-tiyon-evans/|title=Calgary Stampeders sign four, including RB Tiyon Evans|website=3DownNation|date=March 19, 2025|access-date=March 23, 2025}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://charlotte49ers.com/sports/football/roster/ben-deluca/6728 Charlotte 49ers bio]
- [https://www.chargers.com/team/players-roster/ben-deluca/ Los Angeles Chargers bio]
- [https://www.stampeders.com/players/ben-deluca/166317/ Calgary Stampeders bio]
{{Calgary Stampeders roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:DeLuca, Ben}}
Category:Players of American football from Orlando, Florida
Category:Players of Canadian football from Orlando, Florida
Category:American football safeties
Category:Canadian football defensive backs
Category:Bishop Moore High School alumni
Category:Charlotte 49ers football players
Category:Los Angeles Chargers players