Donald De La Haye

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Donald De La Haye

| image = Deestroying MMG 2020 03.png

| alt =

| caption = De La Haye in 2020

| current_team = San Antonio Brahmas

| number = 11

| position = Placekicker

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|12|2}}

| birth_place = Limón, Costa Rica

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height_ft = 5

| height_in = 9

| weight_lb = 170

| high_school = Port St. Lucie (FL)

| college = UCF (2015–2016)

| draftyear =

| draftround =

| draftpick =

| undraftedyear =

| pastteams =

Toronto Argonauts ({{CFL Year|2019}})
San Antonio Brahmas ({{USFL Year|2024}}–present)

| status = Active

| pastcoaching =

| pastadmin =

FCF Glacier Boyz (2022–present)
(Owner)

| statleague = UFL

| statseason = 2025

| statweek = 3

| statlabel1 = Field goals made

| statvalue1 = 5

| statlabel2 = Field goal attempts

| statvalue2 = 7

| statlabel3 = Field goal %

| statvalue3 = 71.4

| statlabel4 = Points scored

| statvalue4 = 15

| statlabel5 = Longest field goal

| statvalue5 = 55

| statlabel6 = Touchbacks

| statvalue6 = 0

| statlabel7 = Tackles

| statvalue7 = 1

| cfl = donald-de-la-haye/164813/

}}

{{Infobox YouTube personality

| name = Deestroying

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name =

| birth_date =

| birth_place =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality =

| other_names =

| occupation =

| organization =

| website =

| years_active = 2015–present

| genre = {{hlist|Sports|Comedy|Vlog}}

| subscribers = 6.23 million (Deestroying)

| pseudonym = Deestroying

| channels = [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4mLlRa_dezwvytudo9s1sw Deestroying]

| stats_update = March 30th, 2025

}}

Donald De La Haye (born December 2, 1996), also known online as Deestroying, is a Costa Rican-American YouTuber and professional American football kicker for the San Antonio Brahmas of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football at the University of Central Florida (UCF). De La Haye is known for his videos demonstrating his kicking ability as well as his sports-related skits and vlogs talking about his life journey. He initially came into public attention while in college when the NCAA controversially banned him for profiting off his name and YouTube videos, which sparked reform for student athlete compensation.{{Cite web |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/politics/os-ne-desantis-athletes-paid-20191024-jrwljktqvjbkpnvs3tws3wqs4i-story.html |title=UCF kicker Donald De La Haye invoked as DeSantis backs college athletes getting paid |date=2019-10-24 |website=orlandosentinel.com |access-date=2019-12-25}}

Early life and college career

De La Haye traveled with his family from Costa Rica to the United States at the age of seven, spending the rest of his youth in Port St. Lucie, Florida.{{Cite news|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/os-op-ucf-kicker-de-la-haye-success-story-20181116-story.html |title=Attorneys: UCF's De La Haye settles for a bright future off the field |last1=Henneke |first1=Robert |last2=Riches |first2=Jon |website=orlandosentinel.com |date=2018-11-16|access-date=2019-05-28}} He played for the football team at the University of Central Florida as their kickoff specialist and holder from 2015 to 2016. He was backup placekicker behind Matthew Wright and De La Haye also played some wide receiver. De La Haye was a marketing major at UCF.{{Cite web |url=http://ucfknights.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=211760364&DB_OEM_ID=34100 |title=Donald Delahaye Bio |website=UCFKnights.com |language=en |access-date=2019-05-27 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

=Loss of NCAA eligibility over YouTube channel=

In 2017, De La Haye drew attention when the NCAA told him to delete or demonetize his YouTube channel, which would have required him to remove his likeness and name from his videos if he decided to continue the channel. Faced with this dilemma, De La Haye ultimately chose to continue his channel normally, at the cost of his scholarship and NCAA eligibility.{{Cite web |url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/2017/06/donald-de-la-haye-youtube-channel-central-florida-ucf-ncaa |title="A college football player has a hit YouTube channel. He might have to give it up to remain eligible." (June 12, 2017). USA Today |date=June 12, 2017 |access-date=May 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181125124331/https://ftw.usatoday.com/2017/06/donald-de-la-haye-youtube-channel-central-florida-ucf-ncaa |archive-date=November 25, 2018 |url-status=live }}{{Cite video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh69-X6X55w |title=I lost my full D1 scholarship because of my YouTube Channel.. |date= July 31, 2017|access-date=May 27, 2019 |author= Deestroying|publisher = YouTube|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180112180535/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh69-X6X55w |archive-date=January 12, 2018 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/18/ex-college-football-player-donald-de-la-haye-signs-with-whistle-sports.html |title="Ex-college football player Donald De La Haye signs with Whistle Sports" (Aug 18, 2017). CNBC |website=CNBC |date=August 18, 2017 |access-date=May 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403095450/https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/18/ex-college-football-player-donald-de-la-haye-signs-with-whistle-sports.html |archive-date=April 3, 2019 |url-status=live }} De La Haye sued UCF over this matter in July 2018, settling in November 2018 to finish his education there. Since then, he has made amends with UCF, attending multiple games with on-field passes and posting footage of himself at games. Additionally, coach Gus Malzahn and his coaching staff have invited him to multiple football-related events.{{Cite web |url=https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2018/7/13/17565672/donald-de-la-haye-youtube-ncaa-deestroying |title=How the YouTube kicker's lawsuit challenges the NCAA |last=Kirshner |first=Alex |date=2018-07-13 |website=SB Nation |access-date=2019-05-28}}[https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/6295565/de-la-haye-v-hitt/ De La Haye v. Hitt, 6:18-cv-0135 (M.D. Fla. 2018).]

De La Haye's case has been one of several major incidents in which NCAA athletes are barred from profiting off their names, images, and likenesses (NIL) and allowing student athlete compensation. Legislation has since been issued in a few states, including California and De La Haye's home state of Florida, in an attempt to allow student athletes to profit while in school.{{Cite web |url=https://www.si.com/college-football/2019/05/14/ncaa-working-group-profits-name-image-likeness-student-athletes |title=NCAA to consider allowing athletes to profit from names |website=SI.com |date=May 14, 2019 |language=en |quote=Last year, a kicker at UCF gave up his scholarship rather than stop making money off his profitable YouTube channel, which threatened to make him ineligible. |access-date=2019-10-01}}

YouTube career

While removed from the active UCF football team roster, De La Haye put more focus on his Deestroying YouTube channel, which he started as a teenager in 2015. Evolving from skits on football stereotypes and kicker trick shot videos, the channel has also featured gaming videos, skits impersonating National Football League players such as Odell Beckham Jr., Tom Brady and JuJu Smith-Schuster, actual collaborations with players such as Smith-Schuster, Marquette King, Cam Newton, Antonio Brown, and Tyreek Hill and partnerships with the NFL and other sports organizations to create content. The channel has since surpassed 5.8 million subscribers after having just 94,000 when De La Haye left UCF.{{Cite web |url=https://www.tubefilter.com/2019/01/31/youtube-millionaires-deestroying/ |title=YouTube Millionaires: NFL Hopeful Donald De La Haye Was Forced To Choose Between YouTube And Football — But Now He Aims For Both |author=James Loke Hale |date=2019-01-31 |website=www.tubefilter.com |access-date=2019-05-31}}

De La Haye has also collaborated with other YouTube personalities such as Logan Paul, competing in the latter's "Challenger Games" in July 2019.{{Cite web |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/logan-paul-track-meet-challenger-games-fastest-youtuber-contestants-list-2019-7 |title=Logan Paul is holding a race on Saturday to find the fastest YouTuber, and the winner gets $100,000. Here's who is competing. |last=Leskin |first=Paige |website=Business Insider |date=July 19, 2019 |access-date=2019-08-02}}

Professional football career

=Toronto Argonauts=

File:18, Donald De La Haye, June 22, 2019.jpg

After years of advocating for an NFL team to sign him through his videos, De La Haye was signed by the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League on May 19, 2019.{{Cite web |url=https://www.argonauts.ca/2019/05/19/argos-add-five-training-camp-roster/ |title=Argos add five to training camp roster |date=2019-05-19 |website=Toronto Argonauts |language=en |access-date=2019-05-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190519154912/https://www.argonauts.ca/2019/05/19/argos-add-five-training-camp-roster/ |archive-date=May 19, 2019 |url-status=live }}{{Cite video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ouoqt-DUrq4 |title=I GOT SIGNED TO A PRO FOOTBALL TEAM YESTERDAY.. |date=May 22, 2019 |author= Deestroying|publisher=YouTube |access-date=May 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526081817/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ouoqt-DUrq4 |archive-date=May 26, 2019 |url-status=live }} The signing resulted in over 15,000 new followers on the Argonauts' official Instagram account.{{Cite news |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/ucf-knights/os-sp-ucf-donald-de-la-haye-cfl-0626-20190625-3vwe6ojn2re3vjum2eu7g7njye-story.html |title=Ex-UCF kicker Donald De La Haye has no regrets after choosing YouTube over Knights, earns spot in CFL |last=Beede |first=Jason |date=2019-06-25 |work=Orlando Sentinel |access-date=2019-06-27}} He appeared in both preseason games, making his one field goal attempt from a distance of 16 yards, and recording one punt for 46 yards. De La Haye was signed to the practice roster to begin the season.{{Cite web|url=https://tipofthetower.com/2019/06/09/toronto-argonauts-announce-final-roster-cuts-ahead-deadline/|title=Toronto Argonauts announce final roster cuts ahead of deadline|date=2019-06-09|website=Tip of the Tower|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-11}} Due to limits on American players allowed on the roster, the Argonauts later placed De La Haye on the Suspended list in order to allow him to be free of team obligations and continue to upload videos consistently, which, according to De La Haye, generated more income than being on the practice squad.{{Cite web |url=https://www.cfl.ca/transactions/ |title=Transactions |website=CFL.ca |language=en |access-date=2019-08-16}}{{Cite video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Y4SrkFWwLc |title=THE TRUTH ABOUT MY PRO FOOTBALL CAREER.. (WHY I'M NOT PLAYING) |date= July 22, 2019 |author= Deestroying |publisher = YouTube |access-date = August 15, 2019|language=English}}

De La Haye continued making YouTube videos that display him practicing kicks, in the ultimate goal of making the NFL. In 2021, De La Haye posted a video in which he got invited to work out for the NFL Scouting Combine. De La Haye also won the Kohls Pro Combine kickoff competition in 2021.Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211210/M9Loef9XNKo Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20210121183725/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9Loef9XNKo Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite AV media| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9Loef9XNKo| title = I GOT INVITED TO TRAIN FOR THE NFL COMBINE.. (NFL COACHES GIVE ME ADVICE) | website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}

=San Antonio Brahmas=

On January 30, 2024, De La Haye was signed by the San Antonio Brahmas of the United Football League,{{Cite web |last=Larsen |first=James |date=2024-01-30 |title=Youtube Star Kicker Deestroying Signs To San Antonio Brahmas |url=https://pfnewsroom.com/news/youtube-star-kicker-deestroying-signs-to-san-antonio-brahmas/ |access-date=2024-01-30 |website=Pro Football Newsroom |language=en-US}} replacing John Parker Romo, who had declined to return to the Brahmas after a successful 2023 season.{{Cite web |last=Nelson |first=Mark |date=2023-12-28 |title=XFL San Antonio Brahmas kicker Parker Romo does not plan to return for the 2024 season |url=https://uflboard.com/news/xfl-san-antonio-brahmas-kicker-parker-romo-does-not-plan-to-return-for-the-2024-season/ |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=UFL News and Discussion |language=en-US}} De La Haye faced an open competition with Matt Ammendola for the position. On March 10, 2024, the Brahmas released Ammendola, designating De La Haye as their starting kicker for the 2024 season.{{Cite web |url=https://pfnewsroom.com/column/deestroying-comments-on-earning-a-starting-role-with-brahmas/ |title=Deestroying Comments On Earning A Starting Role With Brahmas |last=Larsen |first=James |date=2024-03-12 |website=Pro Football Newsroom |access-date=2024-03-24}}

De La Haye led the UFL in kickoff yardage in his opening week of play.{{Cite web |last=Waters |first=Andres |date=2024-04-03 |title=How a kicker went from UCF to YouTube to the UFL: Deestroying is chasing his dreams |url=https://www.espn.com/united-football-league/story/_/id/39855401/donald-de-la-haye-deestroying-youtube-creator-kicker-ufl |access-date=2024-04-03 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}} He was effectively a kickoff specialist for his first two games of the season, as the Brahmas did not attempt any field goals in those games and the league does not allow kicking for extra points.{{Cite web |last=Fernandez |first=Lance |date=April 6, 2024 |title=Cam Newton raises questions at Deestroying's debut UFL game with Brahmas: "Where's the field goals?" |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/nfl/news-cam-newton-raises-questions-deestroying-s-debut-ufl-game-brahmas-where-s-field-goals |access-date=2024-04-07 |website=Sportskeeda}} He was placed on injured reserve on April 8, 2024, following multiple neck fractures he sustained making a tackle on a kickoff return.{{Cite web |date=2024-04-09 |title=Brahmas K 'Deestroying' (neck) out for season |url=https://www.yardbarker.com/ufl/articles/brahmas_k_deestroying_neck_out_for_season/s1_17057_40215483 |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=Yardbarker |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=UFL Transactions |url=https://uflboard.com/ufl-transactions/ |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=UFL News and Discussion |language=en-US}}

On October 29, 2024, De La Haye re-signed with the Brahmas, stating that "I refuse to go out like that (...) the story is far from over and I have a lot more football to play.[https://twitter.com/TheUFL/status/1851390801458106784 Donald De La Haye has some unfinished business in San Antonio 💪]. United Football League on X. October 29, 2024. Retrieved October 29, 2024.

De La Haye attempted and made his first field goal since high school during the Brahmas' 2025 season opener against the Arlington Renegades, drilling a 39-yard kick to score San Antonio's first points of the season.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-29 |title=YouTube to UFL: 'Deestroying' Nails First Career Professional Kick for Brahmas |url=https://www.si.com/ufl/deestroying-nails-first-career-professional-kick-brahmas-ufl |access-date=2025-03-30 |website=SI |language=en-US}}

During Week 3 of the season against the Michigan Panthers, De La Haye went 3/4 on field goals in the 23-26 loss. De La Haye made a career-long 55-yarder, but missed a 53-yarder in the 4th quarter which would have sent the game to overtime.

UFL career statistics

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" ! rowspan="2" \|Year ! rowspan="2" \|Team ! rowspan="2" \|GP ! colspan="4" \|FGs ! colspan="4" \|Kickoffs ! rowspan="2" \|Points
Lng !FGM !FGA !Pct !KO !Yds !Avg !TB
2024 !SA \|2 \|— \|— \|— \|— \|8 \|546 \|68.3 \|0 \|0
2025 !SA \|3 \|55 \|5 \|7 \|71.4 \|4 \|262 \|65.5 \|0 \|15
colspan="2" \|[https://www.theufl.com/teams/san-antonio/donald-de-la-haye/stats Career] !5 !55 !5 !7 !71.4 !12 !808 !66.9 !0 !15

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

! rowspan="2" |Year

! rowspan="2" |Team

! rowspan="2" |GP

! colspan="4" |FGs

! colspan="4" |Kickoffs

! rowspan="2" |Points

Lng

!FGM

!FGA

!Pct

!KO

!Yds

!Avg

!TB

2024

!SA

|—

|546

|68.3

2025

!SA

|55

|71.4

|262

|65.5

|15

colspan="2" |[https://www.theufl.com/teams/san-antonio/donald-de-la-haye/stats Career]

!55

!71.4

!12

!808

!66.9

!15

Esports career

In April 2022, De La Haye signed with FaZe Clan.{{Cite web |url=https://www.tubefilter.com/2022/04/12/deestroying-donald-de-la-haye-signs-faze-clan/|title=Deestroying joins FaZe Clan to "take the sports world by storm"|website=tubefilter.com |date=April 12, 2022 |language=en |access-date=2022-04-12}} He played in a flag football game with FaZe Clan in the 2022 Pro Bowl.