Dominique Dafney is a self-made NFL player
GREEN BAY, Wis. (BVM) — On Jan. 3, the Green Bay Packers were at Soldier Field in Chicago playing the Bears in their last game of the regular season. A win would solidify them as the No. 1 seed in the NFC, home-field advantage through the playoffs and give them a bye to begin the playoffs.
Late in the first half, the Packers were up 14-10 when a Chicago fumble gave them another scoring opportunity deep in Bear territory.
It was 2nd-and-goal when Aaron Rodgers, as he has done many times this season, dropped back in the pocket and threw his 47th touchdown of the season.
It wasn’t Rodgers who made the play stand out, however. It was who he threw it to. This time, it wasn’t Robert Tonyan, Aaron Jones or even Davante Adams. It was No. 49 Dominique Daffney who pulled in the Rodgers pass as he fell in the end zone.
“Dominique Dafney … who would have called that one?” Rodgers said after the game. “That’s the beauty in this game.”
The beauty of it was that for Dafney to end up in that end zone at Soldier Field with the ball in his hands took a lot from the undrafted rookie.
“There’s nobody out there that can take credit for his success and what’s happened but him; he just stuck with it,” Dafney’s former high school football coach Gary Swenson said. “He didn’t give up. He’s such a good story for kids to look at and understand: don’t limit yourself.”
Swenson coached Dafney while he attended high school at Valley in West Des Moines and saw firsthand Dafney’s talent out on the football field.
“For us, he was our best receiver two years running,” Swenson said.
During that time, Dafney helped the Tigers to a 20-5 record and appearances to the state quarterfinals and semifinals. He was elite all-state his senior year with 58 receptions for 898 yards, both school records for a single season, and 12 touchdowns. He also holds the school’s records for receiving touchdowns in a game with three and career receiving touchdowns with 22.
Alongside his football ability, Dafney played varsity basketball for Valley and helped the team reach the state championship during his time on the court.
However, even with his impressive high school career, Dafney was not heavily recruited coming out of high school.
“We were really surprised because we thought for sure somebody would take him,” Swenson said. “Some guys get overlooked, you know. They don’t fit the profile on paper or the stop watch or the tape measure. I get why that happens. I mean people need to make decisions somewhere with some sort of criteria. I think Dom just got lumped into that.”
Not ready to hang up his cleats, Dafney chose to attend Iowa Western Community College and his journey through college football began.
“I went through a lot during college,” Dafney said in a Jan. 7 press conference. “The road was weird and it was long and it was tough and there were ups and downs. It was a lot more downs than it was ups if I’m being honest.”
At Iowa Western, Dafney saw no time on the field. After one year, he decided to walk on at the University of Iowa where he continued to struggle to get on the field. During his two years at Iowa, Dafney had one catch for 19 yards while the rest of his limited time on the field was on special teams.
Following his second season as a Hawkeye, Dafney transferred to Indiana State University looking for one more chance to showcase what he could do on the field.
Dafney got his chance in the last four games of the 2019 season when he began to run the ball for the Sycamores out of the wildcat position.
“I think when things opened up for him at Indiana State it was like, ‘Man, I’m going to enjoy this,’” Swenson said. “I think he was just having so much fun playing for a change he would’ve taken anything they would’ve given him.”
“It brought back that love of the game,” Dafney said.
Dafney recorded 635 all-purpose yards and led the team with seven touchdowns. However, it was in the last game of his collegiate career that Dafney finally had his moment. Against Missouri State, Dafney rushed 244 yards and five touchdowns.
“The opportunity presented itself and you know like most people you just take it and you run with it,” Dafney said.
The struggles were not over yet though as Dafney was unable to attend a pro day due to COVID-19. Instead, he went back to Valley High School and videotaped himself going through a pro day.
Pro Day Video ✅ (Pt. 1) pic.twitter.com/HvRESe491h
— Dominique Dafney (@DDafney24) March 29, 2020
He went undrafted and then spent the summer staying prepared, working out everyday, dieting and being ready for the opportunity to present itself like it did at Indiana State. Once it did, just like last year as a Sycamore, Dafney was going to make the most of it, but the summer was still difficult.
“It took a lot,” Dafney said. “There’s nothing to grab onto or some hope to look forward to so it was kind of all internal as well as family and friends keeping me going.”
Finally, late into training camp this season, Dafney signed with the Indianapolis Colts but was cut shortly after. Even then, Dafney did not stop working towards his goal.
“I just kept fighting to be honest I just wanted it so bad and wanted to be here and play in the big league so bad I just kept working,” Dafney said.
To help pass the time, he got a job as a bouncer at 300 Craft and Rooftop, a bar in Des Moines just to mix up his normal routine of working out. His stint as a bouncer was short lived though as the Packers signed him to their practice squad on Oct. 12.
“I don’t know why he kept at it; most kids wouldn’t have,” Swenson said. “We’re just so impressed and so happy for him.”
Dafney would spend about a month on the practice team and during that time he began working relentlessly to become familiar with the playbook. In particular, a specific position that has become an important cog in head coach Matt LaFleur offense: the F position.
It is a combination of H-Back, tight end, fullback and wide receiver, basically the Swiss Army knife of the Packers offense. It was a role Green Bay hoped rookie third-round pick Josiah Degura would fill, but a season-ending knee injury ended that. Then a concussion to John Lovett opened up an opportunity for Dafney to step into the role.
Dafney was officially signed to the 53-man roster on Dec. 12 following his elevation to the active roster for the Dec. 6 game against Philadelphia.
His love for the game and versatility has stood out to his teammates and coaches. Davante Adams credited “Daf,” his nickname on the team, as being one the most versatile players he has ever played with.
Head coach Matt LaFleur said during his press conference the following week after the Chicago Bears game that he loved Dafney’s willingness to do whatever is asked of him by the Packers. Whether it’s on offense or special teams, Dafney is ready to give everything he has to stay on the field.
“What’s so awesome is when you see a guy catch a touchdown and then the very next play, run down on kickoff and knock the crap out of the kick returner,” LaFleur said during his press conference. “That is awesome.”
No doubt Dafney’s versatility and love for being out of the field is a reflection of what he had to do throughout his college career. Dafney struggled to get on the field at all three colleges he attended, but when he got his chance, he did not waste it.
“For us to know him and know how hard he’s worked and what he went through, to get to that point it was such validation for him we were just excited for him,” Swenson said.
The season isn’t over for Dafney yet, but the journey he has been on since his time at Valley High School is over. It ended in the end zone at Soldier Field on Jan. 3, 2021.
“We’re finally in the end zone; we finally made it here,” Dafney said. “It was a good moment.”
