Demerio Houston
{{Short description|American gridiron football player (born 1996)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox CFL biography
| name = Demerio Houston
| team =
| image = 2024, 06, Demerio Houston.jpg
| image_upright = 1
| caption = Houston with the Calgary Stampeders in 2024
| status = Active
| import = yes
| position1 = Defensive back
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|9|3}}
| birth_place = Shelby, North Carolina, U.S.
| number =
| college = Southern
| high_school = Shelby High
| Height_ft = 5
| Height_in = 10
| Weight_lbs = 169
| playing_years1 = {{CFL Year|2020|2023}}
| playing_team1 = Winnipeg Blue Bombers
| playing_years2 = {{CFL Year|2024}}
| playing_team2 = Calgary Stampeders
| career_footnotes =
| career_highlights =
| Honours =
| CFLAllStar = {{CFL Year|2023}}
| CFLWestAllStar = {{CFL Year|2023}}
| CFL = demerio-houston/165331/
}}
Demerio Houston (born September 3, 1996) is an American professional football defensive back who is a free agent. He has played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
College career
Professional career
File:2022, 35, Demerio Houston.jpg in 2022.]]
= Winnipeg Blue Bombers =
On October 22, 2019, Houston signed a futures contract for the 2020 season with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/transactions/2019/ |title=Transactions – Football player trades and signings |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=July 30, 2022}} However, the 2020 CFL season was cancelled and he did not play in 2020.
Houston began the 2021 season on the practice roster following training camp, but made his professional debut on October 15, 2021, against the Edmonton Elks, where he had three defensive tackles.{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/players/demerio-houston/165331/ |title=Demerio Houston |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=July 30, 2022}} He played in four regular season games for the team where he had seven defensive tackles and three special teams tackles. He was placed back on the practice roster for the post-season as the Blue Bombers won the 108th Grey Cup and Houston became a Grey Cup champion in his rookie year.
In 2022, Houston made the team's active roster following training camp and played as a backup for the Blue Bombers' first two games.{{cite web|url=https://d3ham790trbkqy.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2022_CFL_Gm_Notes_39_Wpg_at_Cgy.pdf |title=Game Notes |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=July 30, 2022}} Following an injury to Winston Rose, he started at cornerback in the third game where his six-tackle performance made veteran Tyquwan Glass expendable, who was released in favour of keeping Houston in the starting lineup.{{cite web|url=https://www.bluebombers.com/2022/07/01/im-proud-of-demerio-houston-for-how-he-took-advantage-of-his-opportunity/ |title="I'm proud of Demerio Houston for how he took advantage of his opportunity" |publisher=Winnipeg Blue Bombers |date=August 9, 2021}} Two weeks later, on July 9, 2022, he recorded his first career interception on a pass from Michael O'Connor in a game against the BC Lions.{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/games/6229/winnipeg-blue-bombers-vs-bc-lions/#playbyplay |title=Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs BC Lions |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=July 30, 2022}} In the following week, on July 15, 2022, he recorded a victory-clinching, diving interception in the final minute of the game against the Calgary Stampeders.{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/games/6231/calgary-stampeders-vs-winnipeg-blue-bombers/ |title=Bombers defeat Stamps in battle of unbeatens |publisher=Canadian Football League |date=July 15, 2022}} He played in 11 regular season games where he had 27 defensive tackles and two interceptions..
In the 2023 season, Houston played in 15 regular season games where he had a league-leading seven interceptions along with 50 defensive tackles and three fumble recoveries. He became a free agent upon the expiry of his contract on February 13, 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/fa24/ |title=Official 2024 Free Agent Tracker |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=February 14, 2024}}
= Calgary Stampeders =
On February 13, 2024, it was announced that Houston had signed a two-year contract with the Calgary Stampeders.{{Cite web |url=https://www.stampeders.com/2024/02/13/calgary-adds-all-star-db/ |title=Calgary adds All-Star DB |publisher=Calgary Stampeders |date=February 6, 2024}} He played in 15 regular season games where he had 74 defensive tackles, one sacks, five interceptions, and one forced fumble.{{Cite web |url=https://www.cfl.ca/players/demerio-houston/165331/ |title=Demerio Houston |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=February 13, 2025}} After being charged with domestic violence in North Carolina, Demerio was released by the Stampeders on February 12, 2025.{{Cite web |url=https://calgaryherald.com/sports/football/cfl/calgary-stampeders/calgary-stampeders-release-demerio-houston-domestic-violence |title=Calgary Stampeders release defensive back Demerio Houston amid domestic violence charge |publisher=Calgary Herald |date=February 12, 2025}}
Personal life
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons}}
- [https://www.stampeders.com/players/demerio-houston/165331/ Calgary Stampeders bio]
- [https://gojagsports.com/sports/football/roster/demerio-houston/2023 Southern Jaguars bio]
{{108th Grey Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Houston, Demerio}}
Category:American football defensive backs
Category:Calgary Stampeders players
Category:Canadian football defensive backs
Category:Players of American football from North Carolina
Category:Players of Canadian football from North Carolina
Category:Southern Jaguars football players