Deionte Knight (born April 7, 1999) is a Canadian professional football defensive lineman for the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Knight played for the Western Mustangs of U Sports football from 2018 to 2021.[1][2] He did not play in 2020 due to the cancellation of the 2020 season, but managed to record 96 tackles and 13.5 sacks in three seasons.[3] In his final year, in 2021, he recorded 52 tackles, including 13 for a loss, ten sacks, and two forced fumbles as he won the J. P. Metras Trophy that year.[3] To end the year, Knight won a Vanier Cup championship after the Mustangs defeated the Saskatchewan Huskies in the 56th Vanier Cup where Knight recorded three tackles and one sack.[4]
Knight was drafted in the second round, 10th overall, in the 2022 CFL draft by the Toronto Argonauts and signed with the team on May 20, 2022.[5] He began the 2022 season on the injured list but made his professional debut on August 20, 2022, against the Calgary Stampeders.[6] He returned to the injured list shortly after, but returned near the end of the season, including making his first career start on October 29, 2022, against the Montreal Alouettes.[6] In total, Knight played in four regular season games where he recorded two defensive tackles.[2] He was on the injured list during the post-season, including when the Argonauts won the 109th Grey Cup championship.[6]
Knight made the team's active roster following training camp in 2023 and had three defensive tackles as a back-up in the season-opening game.[7] He played in 17 regular season games where he had 17 defensive tackles, two sacks, and one forced fumble.[8]
To begin the 2024 season, Knight was a healthy scratch on the one-game injured list, but dressed for the team's next two games without recording a statistic.[9] He was then moved to the practice roster on July 1, 2024.[10]
On July 3, 2024, Knight was claimed off of the Argonauts' practice roster by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.[11] He dressed in 12 regular season games as a backup where he recorded four defensive tackles.[12] He was transferred to the practice roster for the last two games of the season where his contract expired on October 26, 2024.[10]
On December 6, 2024, Knight signed with the Ottawa Redblacks.[10] He was released during training camp on May 21, 2025.[13] He re-signed with the Redblacks on September 2, 2025.[14]
Knight's father, DeWayne Knight, played in parts of four seasons as a linebacker for the Ottawa Rough Riders, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and BC Lions.[15][16]
