Former Bucs WR Deven Thompkins' wife Maria Castilhos alleges physical abuse with divorce proceedings underway
Deven Thompkins was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2022. During his two years with the Florida team, the wide receiver was a part of their special teams, making 22 appearances. However, recent allegations against him of physical abuse could make it difficult for him to land another job.
Thompkins and Maria Castilhos were high school sweethearts and married after they had a child at the age of 19. Castilhos posted a since-deleted video on TikTok where she detailed their relationship and the physical abuse she had to endure, she said:
“This is strictly going to be the abuse that I’ve had to endure all these years with proof because I’m being called a liar.”
Castilhos had attached some pictures of her being injured, which she alleged was caused by the former Bucs player. She further stated:
“But, like, him hitting me with the Christmas tree, him pulling out a knife on me for trying to leave after some girl came up to me at his football game and told me she was pregnant with his baby.”
Court records show that Deven Thompkins initiated the divorce proceedings against Castilhos on February 27 in Lee County. On May 30, the Bucs released him from their roster, due to him being injured.
Deven Thompkins responds to physical abuse allegations
Maria Castilhos’ allegations went viral on Tuesday, and Deven Thompkins did not waste time providing his counter. He denied the allegations in a statement from his lawyer Brett R. Gallaway, saying:
"Deven and Maria have been going through a contentious divorce proceeding and child custody battle, and it appears that she thought it would help her case to release these false and defamatory videos."
“What she fails to mention on TikTok, and other social media posts are her written admissions of ‘blackmail’ in connection with demands that Deven pay her increased alimony and other payments.”
“Clear and significant exculpatory evidence exists to show that Deven did not physically or in any other way abuse Maria.”
Thompkins and Castilhos have two children and have been married for five years.