In an odd turn of events, former Arizona quarterback, Jayden De Laura, led the Vegas Knight Hawks to the Indoor Football League championship played right here in Tucson.

De Laura was Arizona’s starting quarterback before Noah Fifita took the reins in the 2023-2024 season. He exited the fourth game of the season against the University of Stanford after an injury.

After the season, De Laura transferred to Texas State University. He would later rescind his decision around the same time he settled a 2021 lawsuit alleging him of sexual misconduct while he was playing high school football in his hometown of Honolulu, Hawaii.

In May of 2024, De Laura had a small stint in the United Football League with the San Antonio Brahmas only to be released by the end of the month.

This past year, he signed with Vegas Knight Hawks in the IFL, a league shared with the Tucson Sugar Skulls.

Before heading into the IFL Championship, the Knight Hawks proved their resilience, earning a 13-5 record after knocking off the Bay Area Panthers and San Diego Strike Force. Their final opponent was the Green Bay Blizzards.

In the championship game, De Laura rampaged down the field with 74 yards and 2 touchdowns in 11 carries. He completed 12-of-15 passes along with 1 passing touchdown. This performance earned him the game’s Most Valuable Player.

In attendance was none other than Fifita who could be seen down on the field congratulating De Laura on his championship performance.

“It feels good to come back to where I finished school […]. It’s like my home away from home,” De Laura said.

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