What happened to Deestroying? Brahmas kicker receives heartbreaking news weeks after making UFL 2024 debut

Deestroying, best known for his YouTube videos, has always wanted to truly play football again ever since the NCAA disqualified him from the UCF Golden Knights for his off-field activity. While he never made it to the NFL, he did find his calling in the San Antonio Brahmas of the new-for-2024 UFL, becoming their kicker.

He immediately impressed to the tune of 74.2 average yards from five kickoffs, the highest in Week One (it is worth noting that the UFL does not use kicks for extra points, but rather scrimmage plays - one point from two yards, two from five, and three from ten) and even delivered a brutal tackle on the returner.

But on Monday, his fans received some bad news: James Larsen, the UFL's insider, shared that Deestroying had been placed on injured reserve. The nature of his injury was not disclosed, but he is expected to sit out for at least five weeks.

UPDATE: Deestroying is set to miss the rest of the UFL season after fracturing his neck.

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How Deestroying went from YouTube to United Football League

Behind all the exciting Deestroying videos, Donald De La Haye is just like anyone who dreams of playing professional football. He wanted to make it to the pros, but his lack of college experience was always going to be a limiting factor there

Then on January 17, he was in Hawaii hosting a youth football competition when he received this text from Marc Lillibridge, the general manager of the San Antonio Brahmas:

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"Donald ... you have a heck of a kicking background. Aside from your social media success, would you be interested in kicking for the Brahmas?"

He accepted, reflecting on it in an ESPN feature:

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"It just felt like everything came together at the perfect time, I lowkey could have cried in that moment. On the top of this amazing beautiful [headland] looking around and screaming. It couldn't have felt more movie-like."

What followed was a competition with Matt Ammendola to succeed the departing John Parker Romo. He would get the job; and speaking to ESPN after the Brahmas’ 27-12 win over the DC Defenders, he said:

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"I just want to be living proof to everybody watching that if you believe in something and you work hard enough, you can do anything you set your mind to. You are your own limitations."

The Brahmas would win 20-19 at the Memphis Showboats the following week despite trailing for almost the entire game.

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