Curtis Lee Deloatch (born October 4, 1981) is a former
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
cornerback
A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such offensive running plays as sweeps and reverses. They create tur ...
who played in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL). He was signed by the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
as an
undrafted free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
in 2004. He played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
at
North Carolina A&T
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (also known as North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina A&T, N.C. A&T, or simply A&T) is a public, historically black land-grant research university in Greensboro, North Caro ...
.
Deloatch has also played for the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
,
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. T ...
and
Florida Tuskers
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to th ...
.
Early years
Deloatch played
high school football
High school football (french: football au lycée) is gridiron football played by high school teams in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both countries, but its popularity is declining, part ...
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (also known as North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina A&T, N.C. A&T, or simply A&T) is a public, historically black land-grant research university in Greensboro, North Caro ...
. As a redshirt freshman, he played in the team's final eight games as a reserve free safety. He recorded seven tackles (four solo) with nine pass deflections and an interception. He also returned 12 punts for 143 yards (11.9-yard avg.) and five kickoffs for 104 yards (20.8-yard avg.)
As a sophomore in 2001, Deloatch was a consensus All-American and first-team All-
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) is a collegiate athletic conference whose full members are historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the Southeastern and the Mid-Atlantic United States. It participates in the National C ...
choice. He lined up at free safety and recorded 26 tackles (18 solo) with a stop for a 3-yard loss. Deloatch set school and conference season-records, as he gained 248 yards with a pair of touchdowns on four interceptions. He deflected six passes and returned eight kickoffs for 392 yards (34.0 avg). He set NCAA Division I-AA season-records as he scored five times on 20 punts for a school season-record 530 yards, leading the nation with a 26.5-yard average.
As a junior, Deloatch appeared in ten games at strong-side cornerback, recording 14 tackles (ten solo) with an assisted stop for a 3-yard loss. He intercepted a pass, deflected six others and returned 28 punts for 193 yards (6.9 avg).
As a senior, Deloatch was an All-MEAC second-team selection as a defensive back. He played in every game and had 21 tackles (15 solo) with an assisted stop for a 3-yard loss. He intercepted four passes for 44 yards and a touchdown. He deflected eight passes and blocked a kick. Deloatch also returned 28 punts for 269 yards (9.6-yard avg.) and three kickoffs for 38 yards.
Professional career
New York Giants
Deloatch played for the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
in 2004 and 2005, having been acquired as an undrafted free agent.
In 2004, he was one of only two members of the Giants 2004 rookie class to play in all 16 regular season games (the other was linebacker
Reggie Torbor
Reggie Jermaine Torbor (born January 25, 1981) is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Auburn.
Torbor has also played for the Mia ...
.) The majority of action came on special teams and in nickel and dime packages. He finished with 17 tackles (15 solo) and 12 special teams tackles.
The following year, he played in all 16 regular season games with 13 starts at right cornerback, plus the NFC Wild Card Game. Finished the season with 54 tackles (45 solo), one interception, a team-high 12 passes defensed, one fumble recovery and four special teams tackles.
He was waived by the Giants before the 2006 regular season.
New Orleans Saints
Deloatch was then claimed by the Saints on September 3, 2006.
Less than three weeks later, he scored one of the most dramatic touchdowns in Saints history, when he recovered a
Michael Koenen
Michael J. Koenen (born July 13, 1982) is a former American football punter. He was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Western Washington.
Early years
Koenen attended Ferndale High Sc ...
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...
. Deloatch was a late substitution on the play, told to run onto the field at the last second when Saints special teams coordinator John Bonamego noticed that only 10 men were on the field. He had no preparation for the play, was told to "just go rush the kick." It was the first touchdown in the Saints' first home game in nearly 21 months, since
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...
devastated the city.
Carolina Panthers
In 2007, Deloatch signed with the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. T ...
but tore his ACL in October against the Colts ending his season. He was placed on
injured reserve
The injured reserve list ( IR list) is a designation used in North American professional sports leagues for athletes who suffer injuries and become unable to play. The exact name of the list varies by league; it is known as "injured reserve" in th ...
by the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. T ...
on October 31, 2007.
On May 27, 2008, Deloatch was re-signed by the Panthers. He was later released after the Panthers had to cut down their roster size.
Florida Tuskers
Deloatch was signed by the
Florida Tuskers
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to th ...
of the United Football League on August 25, 2009. He was released on September 22, 2009.