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Deonte Thompson
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Deonte Thompson (born February 14, 1989) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida Gators and was a member of their 2009 BCS National Championship team. Thompson was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2012.
Key Information
Early life
[edit]Thompson was born in the small agricultural town of Belle Glade, Florida. He attended Glades Central High School in Belle Glade, where he played for the Glades Central Raiders high school football team. As a senior in 2006, he helped lead the Raiders to a Class 3A state football championship with 30 receptions for 504 yards and eight touchdowns, despite missing five games with a foot injury. In the state championship game, he rushed for 82 yards and two touchdowns.[1]
Thompson also ran in the 100-meter and 200-meter events for the Glades Central track and field team. He won the 100 meters at the 2007 Western Conference Meet, with a career-best time of 10.47 seconds.[2] In the finals of the 2007 FHSAA 2A Region 4, he earned first place in both the 100 meters and the 200 meters.[3] He ran a career-best time of 21.29 seconds in the 200 meters as a senior.
College career
[edit]
Thompson accepted a football scholarship to attend the University of Florida, to play under head coach Urban Meyer and coach Will Muschamp's Florida Gators football teams from 2008 to 2011. After red-shirting for the 2007 season, he played in every game in 2008 – a season which culminated in the Gators winning the BCS National Championship.
In 2010, his most productive year, he had 38 receptions, 570 receiving yards, and a touchdown as a junior.[4] As a senior in 2011, he compiled 21 receptions, 264 receiving yards and a touchdown.[4] In four seasons, he totaled 101 catches for 1,446 yards and nine touchdowns.[4]
He was also a member of the Gators track and field team. He placed fifth in the 60-meter dash at the 2009 Tyson Invitational with a time of 6.80 seconds.[5]
Professional career
[edit]| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 11+3⁄4 in (1.82 m) |
198 lb (90 kg) |
31+1⁄2 in (0.80 m) |
9+1⁄4 in (0.23 m) |
4.31 s | 1.50 s | 2.51 s | 4.40 s | 6.96 s | 36.5 in (0.93 m) |
10 ft 5 in (3.18 m) |
20 reps | |
| All values from Central Florida Pro Day[6][7] | ||||||||||||
Baltimore Ravens
[edit]Thompson was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Baltimore Ravens after the 2012 NFL draft.[8]
He made the team and caught five passes in the regular season, and handled kick return duties for the first five games. Thompson had his best game as a wide receiver in Week 4 of the 2013 season when he caught four passes for 50 yards.
Buffalo Bills (first stint)
[edit]On December 8, 2014, Thompson was signed by the Buffalo Bills. On September 4, 2015, he was waived-injured by the Bills.[9] On September 11, 2015, Thompson was released by the Bills with an injury settlement.[10]
Chicago Bears
[edit]On September 22, 2015, Thompson was signed by the Chicago Bears to the practice squad.[11] On November 10, Thompson was promoted to the active roster.[12]
Thompson re-signed with the Bears on a one-year contract on March 24, 2016.[13] On November 27, Thompson caught five catches for 44 yards and a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans.[14] He recorded his first career touchdown, which was a 6-yard reception from Matt Barkley in the fourth quarter.[15][16] On December 18, Thompson caught eight passes for a career-high 110 yards against the Green Bay Packers.[17] He recorded his first 100-yard game of his career.[18]
On March 21, 2017, Thompson re-signed with the Bears.[19] In Week 2 of the 2017 season, Thompson recorded four receptions for 57 yards and his first touchdown of the 2017 season in the 29–7 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.[20] Thompson was released by the Bears on October 11.[21]
Buffalo Bills (second stint)
[edit]On October 17, 2017, Thompson signed with the Bills.[22] In his regular season debut with the Bills against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 22, he caught four passes for 107 yards, including a crucial 44 yard pass in the fourth quarter that set up the game-tying touchdown.[23] He also caught a 34-yard pass during a blizzard game against the Indianapolis Colts to set up LeSean McCoy's game-winning touchdown in overtime.[24] Thompson finished the season with career highs in receptions, targets, and receiving yards, also helping Buffalo make the playoffs for the first time since 1999.[25]
Dallas Cowboys
[edit]On March 22, 2018, Thompson signed as a free agent with the Dallas Cowboys, receiving a $1,000,000 signing bonus and reuniting with new wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal, who had him with the Bills in 2015.[26] He was limited with an Achilles strain from the start of training camp and worked back into practice for the last 2 preseason games. He was waived on September 1, in order to protect wide receiver Noah Brown from waivers. Thompson was re-signed after Brown was placed on the injured reserve list on September 3.[27] Thompson was expected to be a starter as part of a wide-receiver-by-committee approach, that was put in place after the Cowboys released their main wide receiver Dez Bryant on April 13.
He was named a starter alongside Terrance Williams in the season opener against the Carolina Panthers, making 3 receptions for 27 yards. He repeated as a starter in the second game, tallying 4 receptions for 33 yards. He started in the fourth game but didn't have any receptions. He started in the fifth game and had 2 receptions for 19 yards. In the sixth game he returned to a reserve role, after being passed on the depth chart by rookie Michael Gallup. On October 22, the Cowboys traded a 2019 first round draft choice to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for Amari Cooper, to take over the number one receiver role, which also limited Thompson's targets moving forward. He was released on November 9.[28]
Buffalo Bills (third stint)
[edit]Thompson was signed by the Bills on November 14, 2018.[29] He was declared inactive with a toe injury in the season finale against the Miami Dolphins.[30] He wasn't re-signed after the season.
New York Jets
[edit]Thompson was signed by the New York Jets on May 21, 2019.[31] He was released on August 31, 2019.[32]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ GatorZone.com, Football, 2011 Roster, Deonte Thompson. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
- ^ "Western Confernece 2007 - Complete Results (Raw)". flrunners.com. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
- ^ "FHSAA 2A Region 4- Complete Results". fl.milesplit.com. Archived from the original on January 6, 2015.
- ^ a b c "Deonte Thompson College Statistics". sports-reference.com.
- ^ "Tyson Invitational Day 1 - - Track & Field Meet".
- ^ "Deonte Thompson, Florida, CB, 2012 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
- ^ "Deonte Thompson RAS". ras.football. December 29, 2019. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
- ^ "Deonte Thompson". kffl.com. Archived from the original on December 4, 2014.
- ^ Brown, Chris (September 4, 2015). "Leodis McKelvin to Reserve/NFI as Bills release 16". BuffaloBills.com. Archived from the original on August 7, 2017. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
- ^ "Bills make four roster moves". BuffaloBills.com. September 11, 2015. Archived from the original on April 10, 2018. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
- ^ Mayer, Larry (September 22, 2016). "Bears promote Fales to active roster". Chicago Bears. Archived from the original on June 1, 2017. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
- ^ Campbell, Rich (November 10, 2015). "Bears rookie Tayo Fabuluje suspended four games". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
- ^ Dickerson, Jeff (March 24, 2016). "Bears re-sign WR/KR Deonte Thompson". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
- ^ Potash, Mark (November 27, 2016). "Josh Bellamy rues wide-open drop: 'I just missed the opportunity'". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
- ^ "Barkley finds Deonte Thompson for a 6-yard TD on 4th down". NFL.com. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
- ^ "Deonte Thompson Career Touchdown Log | Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
- ^ LeGere, Bob (December 18, 2016). "Slow start for Bears' Jeffery in return against Packers". Daily Herald. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
- ^ "Deonte Thompson 100-Yard Receiving Games | The Football Database". FootballDB.com. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
- ^ Wiltfong Jr., Lester A. (March 21, 2017). "Report: Chicago Bears re-sign Deonte Thompson". Windy City Gridiron. SB Nation. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
- ^ "Chicago Bears at Tampa Bay Buccaneers - September 17th, 2017". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
- ^ Mayer, Larry (October 11, 2017). "Roster Moves: Bears add Gentry to roster, release Thompson". ChicagoBears.com. Archived from the original on June 3, 2018.
- ^ Brown, Chris (October 17, 2017). "Bills sign WR Thompson; RB Banyard released". BuffaloBills.com. Archived from the original on April 26, 2018.
- ^ "Bills rally to beat Bucs 30-27 on late Hauschka field goal". The Associated Press. CBSSports.com. October 22, 2017.
- ^ Wawrow, John (December 10, 2017). "Bills frolic in the snow after 13-7 OT win against Colts". Pro32: Head to Head. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
- ^ "Bills' Deonte Thompson: Pair of grabs in playoff defeat". CBSSports.com. January 7, 2018. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
- ^ Phillips, Rob (March 22, 2018). "Cowboys Add Receiver Depth, Sign Veteran Deonte Thompson To Deal". DallasCowboys.com. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ Helman, David (September 3, 2018). "Notes: Updating Frederick, Roster Shuffles; More". DallasCowboys.com. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ Helman, David (November 9, 2018). "Thompson Cut, 2 WRs Added To Active Roster". DallasCowboys.com.
- ^ "Bills bring back WR Deonte Thompson". BuffaloBills.com. November 14, 2018. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
- ^ Poupart, Alain (December 28, 2018). "Injury Report: Week 17". Miami Dolphins. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
- ^ Lange, Randy (May 21, 2019). "Jets Sign 7th-Year Wideout Deonte Thompson". NewYorkJets.com. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
- ^ Lange, Randy (August 31, 2019). "Jets Announce 38 Moves to Get Down to 53-Man Roster". NewYorkJets.com. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
External links
[edit]- Florida Gators bio
Media related to Deonte Thompson at Wikimedia Commons
Deonte Thompson
View on GrokipediaEarly life
Upbringing in Belle Glade
Deonte Thompson was born on February 14, 1989, in Belle Glade, Florida, a small agricultural town situated on the shores of Lake Okeechobee and renowned as "Muck City" for its fertile, muck-rich soil that supports sugarcane farming.[5][6] Growing up in this close-knit rural community, Thompson experienced a family-oriented environment where his mother provided unwavering support, attending his games and fostering his development as a self-described "momma's boy."[7] The Belle Glade area, marked by economic challenges and poverty tied to its agricultural economy, placed a strong emphasis on sports—particularly football—as a vital pathway for youth to pursue higher education and professional opportunities beyond the local fields.[6] This cultural backdrop, shared with nearby Pahokee, has produced numerous NFL talents, underscoring the region's deep-rooted football heritage.[8] Thompson's early exposure to football began informally through backyard games before he joined organized youth leagues in third grade, playing for the Okeechobee Center Bulldogs and practicing near his home.[7] In these settings, he demonstrated versatility across multiple positions, including offensive and defensive lines, linebacker, tight end, receiver, quarterback, and running back, reflecting the pervasive football culture of the Pahokee-Belle Glade region.[7] This foundation in local youth programs propelled his transition to organized high school athletics at Glades Central High School.[7]High school career
Deonte Thompson attended Glades Central High School in Belle Glade, Florida, graduating as part of the class of 2007 after enrolling in 2003.[2] During his high school football career, Thompson emerged as a key wide receiver for the Raiders. In his senior year of 2006, he tallied 30 receptions for 504 yards and eight touchdowns, contributing significantly to the team's success despite missing time due to injury. These efforts helped Glades Central secure the Class 3A state championship with a 39–27 victory over Pensacola Pine Forest in the final at Dolphin Stadium.[2][9] Thompson's performances earned him recognition as a top prospect in Florida, rated as the third-best wide receiver nationally by Scout.com and named the South Florida Sun-Sentinel High School Athlete of the Year.[2] In track and field, Thompson specialized in sprint events for Glades Central, achieving personal bests of 10.49 seconds in the 100 meters and 21.29 seconds in the 200 meters. He won the 100 meters at the 2007 Western Conference Meet and claimed the Class 2A state championship in the event, earning all-conference honors as the South Florida Sun-Sentinel High School Athlete of the Year.[10]College career
Florida Gators football
Deonte Thompson committed to the University of Florida as a wide receiver recruit in the class of 2007.[11] He redshirted during the 2007 season and did not see game action, preserving a year of eligibility while dressing for all 13 contests.[12] Over his four playing seasons from 2008 to 2011, Thompson appeared in 51 games for the Florida Gators, recording 101 receptions for 1,446 yards and 9 touchdowns, averaging 14.3 yards per catch.[13][2] His role evolved from a rotational player to a starter, though he often competed for targets amid a deep receiving corps and occasional struggles with concentration drops.[14] Thompson's track and field background, where he competed in sprints, contributed to his noted speed on the football field, allowing him to stretch defenses as a deep threat.[10] As a redshirt freshman in 2008, Thompson played in all 14 games, primarily as a reserve, with 18 receptions for 269 yards and 3 touchdowns.[13] His contributions helped the Gators to an undefeated regular season and a berth in the BCS National Championship Game, where Florida defeated Oklahoma 24-14 to claim the title; Thompson did not record a reception in the championship but was part of the roster that secured the program's second national championship in three years.[15] In 2009, he appeared in 12 games (including the Sugar Bowl), catching 24 passes for 343 yards and 4 touchdowns, including a 7-yard scoring reception from Tim Tebow in the Gators' 51-24 victory over Cincinnati.[16] His production was solid but limited by the emergence of tight end Aaron Hernandez and the team's run-heavy offense under Urban Meyer.[17] Thompson's most productive year came in 2010, when he started 11 of 13 games and led the team with 38 receptions for 570 yards and 1 touchdown, averaging 15.0 yards per catch.[13] He earned team offensive player of the week honors after standout performances, such as six catches for 83 yards against South Florida.[18] Despite the Gators' 8-5 record, Thompson's reliability as John Brantley's primary target highlighted his growth into a consistent outside receiver. In his senior season of 2011, Thompson started 10 of 13 games but saw reduced opportunities due to increased competition from younger talents like Jeff Demps in the slot and a shift toward a more balanced passing attack; he finished with 21 receptions for 264 yards and 1 touchdown.[13] By midseason, he reached 1,000 career receiving yards, becoming the 27th Gator to achieve the milestone.[12]Florida Gators track and field
Deonte Thompson joined the Florida Gators men's track and field team upon arriving on campus in 2008, participating through 2011 while balancing his primary role on the football roster, with a focus on sprint events such as the 60-meter, 100-meter, and 200-meter dashes.[2][10] His dual-sport schedule required careful management, as indoor and outdoor track seasons overlapped with football practices and games, yet Thompson's involvement underscored the Gators' tradition of athlete versatility under head coach Mike Holloway, who oversaw the sprint group.[19] In the indoor season, Thompson's standout performance came in 2009 at the Tyson Invitational, where he ran a personal-best 6.80 seconds in the 60-meter dash finals, placing fifth overall and earning an NCAA provisional qualifying standard.[20][21] This time, achieved after a 6.81-second preliminary heat, helped qualify him for the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Indoor Championships later that year, where he also competed in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.14 seconds.[22][23] Earlier, as a freshman in 2008, he had posted a 6.87 seconds in the 60-meter dash preliminaries at the SEC Indoor Championships, demonstrating consistent competitiveness at the conference level.[24] Outdoors, Thompson contributed to the Gators' relay efforts, running legs in the 4x100-meter relay alongside teammates like Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy, bolstering a sprint core that propelled Florida to SEC team titles in 2008 and 2010.[25][26] Although he did not secure individual national honors, his relay support and sprint training under Holloway provided steady depth to the program, which dominated conference competitions during his tenure. Thompson's track regimen, emphasizing explosive starts and top-end velocity, directly enhanced his on-field football agility, allowing him to excel as a speedy wide receiver.[27][28]Professional career
Baltimore Ravens
Thompson signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent on May 11, 2012, shortly after the conclusion of the NFL Draft.[29] Emerging from the University of Florida, he earned a spot on the 53-man roster during training camp, showcasing his speed and versatility as a wide receiver and return specialist under head coach John Harbaugh.[27] In his rookie 2012 regular season, Thompson appeared in six games without starting, primarily contributing on special teams with 15 kickoff returns for 389 yards, averaging 25.9 yards per return.[1] He also recorded five receptions for 51 yards as a depth receiver, helping to support the Ravens' passing attack led by quarterback Joe Flacco.[1] His role emphasized explosive plays in the return game, where his 4.23-second 40-yard dash time provided a vertical threat.[27] Thompson's contributions extended into the postseason, where he remained on the active roster for all four of the Ravens' playoff games, culminating in a Super Bowl XLVII victory over the San Francisco 49ers, 34–31, on February 3, 2013.[30] During the playoffs, he logged minimal offensive stats with two receptions for 23 yards across the games, focusing instead on special teams depth.[31] This championship marked a highlight of his early professional tenure, as the Ravens defeated the Indianapolis Colts in the Wild Card round, the Denver Broncos in the Divisional round, and the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship before the Super Bowl triumph.[32] The following year, in 2013, Thompson appeared in seven games for the Ravens, catching 10 passes for 96 yards while continuing to serve as a reserve wide receiver and special teams contributor, including seven kickoff returns for 201 yards.[1] His limited offensive role reflected the team's depth at the position, but he remained a valuable special teams asset under Harbaugh's scheme.[33]Buffalo Bills (first stint)
After being released by the Baltimore Ravens prior to the 2014 regular season and subsequently joining their practice squad, Deonte Thompson signed with the Buffalo Bills' active roster on December 8, 2014, to provide depth at wide receiver and on special teams.[34][35] This move came amid the Bills' push for a playoff berth in a season that ended with a 9–7 record.[36] During the 2014 season, Thompson appeared in just one game for the Bills, the Week 17 finale against the New York Jets on December 28, where he recorded no receptions, targets, or return yards while logging two offensive snaps and four special teams snaps.[37] He remained inactive for the other 15 games despite the roster spot, primarily serving as depth behind the team's primary wideouts and return specialists as Buffalo focused on stabilizing its offense under quarterback Kyle Orton.[36] Thompson carried over into the 2015 training camp but suffered a foot injury that sidelined him for most of the preseason.[38] On September 4, 2015, the Bills designated him as waived/injured, and the team reached an injury settlement with him a week later on September 11, ending his initial stint with Buffalo and opening the door to his next NFL opportunity.[39][40]Chicago Bears
Thompson signed with the Chicago Bears' practice squad on September 22, 2015, and was elevated to the active roster on November 10, 2015.[41][42] In his first season with the team, he appeared in seven games, recording two receptions for 81 yards while contributing on special teams with 14 kick returns totaling 409 yards.[1] Re-signed to a one-year contract on March 24, 2016, Thompson solidified his role during the 2016 season, playing all 16 games with six starts and posting career-best receiving numbers of 22 catches for 249 yards and two touchdowns.[43][1] His first NFL touchdown came on a 6-yard pass from quarterback Matt Barkley in a November 27 matchup against the Tennessee Titans.[44] As an elite kick returner, he led the NFL that year with 804 kick return yards on 35 attempts, averaging 23.0 yards per return, including a standout performance of eight receptions for 110 yards against the Green Bay Packers on December 18.[45][46] Thompson re-signed with the Bears on a one-year deal on March 23, 2017.[47] Through the first five games of the 2017 season, he recorded 11 receptions for 125 yards and one touchdown, alongside 11 kick returns for 229 yards.[48] The Bears released him on October 11, 2017, after which he briefly reunited with the Buffalo Bills.[49] Over his three seasons under head coach John Fox, Thompson developed into a key special teams asset and occasional offensive contributor for Chicago.[1]Buffalo Bills (second stint)
On October 17, 2017, following his release by the Chicago Bears, Deonte Thompson signed with the Buffalo Bills, marking his return to the team for a second stint.[50] The move addressed Buffalo's need for receiver depth amid injuries and underwhelming early-season production from the position group.[51] Thompson made an immediate impact in his debut on October 22 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, catching four passes for 107 yards, which stood as the Bills' single-game receiving high for the season.[52] Over the final 11 regular-season games, Thompson emerged as a reliable target, recording 27 receptions for 430 yards and one touchdown while leading all Bills wide receivers in catches.[52] His production provided a boost to an offense that ranked near the bottom of the league in passing earlier in the year, contributing to Buffalo's turnaround to a 9–7 record and their first playoff berth since 1999.[53] Under first-year head coach Sean McDermott, Thompson frequently rotated into the lineup alongside Kelvin Benjamin—acquired via trade on October 31—and Zay Jones, adding speed and veteran presence to stretch defenses and support quarterback Tyrod Taylor.[51] In the AFC wild card playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on January 7, 2018, Thompson appeared in Buffalo's 10–3 loss, hauling in two receptions for 23 yards while also rushing once for nine yards.[54] His efforts in the postseason capped a stint that solidified his value as a depth piece during the Bills' surprise contention push.[55]Dallas Cowboys
Thompson signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Dallas Cowboys on March 22, 2018, adding veteran depth to the wide receiver position after spending the previous season split between the Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills.[56] The deal included a $1 million signing bonus, positioning him as a potential speed threat in the offense.[57] However, a groin injury limited his participation during training camp, leading to his release on September 1, 2018, as part of final roster cuts.[58] He was quickly re-signed on September 3 after the team placed rookie wide receiver Noah Brown on injured reserve, allowing Thompson to secure a spot on the 53-man roster.[59] During the 2018 regular season, Thompson appeared in eight games for the Cowboys, starting four, and recorded 14 receptions for 124 receiving yards with no touchdowns.[60] He also contributed on special teams with six kickoff returns for 147 yards.[60] Thompson provided rotational depth at wide receiver, stepping into starting roles in the first five weeks amid the team's need for additional options behind primary targets like Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup.[61] His contributions helped support Dallas during a 10–6 regular season that earned them the NFC East title and a home playoff game.[62] The Cowboys advanced to the divisional round but fell to the Los Angeles Rams, 30–22.[62] Thompson did not record statistics in the postseason. On November 9, 2018, following a Week 9 loss to the Tennessee Titans, the Cowboys released Thompson to activate wide receivers Noah Brown and Lance Lenoir from injured reserve.[63] He subsequently signed with the Buffalo Bills on November 14.[64]Buffalo Bills (third stint)
Following his release from the Dallas Cowboys on November 9, 2018, Thompson signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Bills on November 14, 2018, marking his third stint with the team.[64][65] Thompson appeared in the final five games of the 2018 season, starting two, and recorded three receptions for 37 yards.[60] He primarily contributed as a depth wide receiver and on special teams during Buffalo's late-season push, which included wins over the Jacksonville Jaguars and Detroit Lions.[66] The Bills finished the 2018 campaign with a 6–10 record, failing to qualify for the playoffs.[67] Thompson's contract expired at the end of the season, and he was not retained by the team, concluding his active playing career in the NFL.[68]New York Jets
On May 21, 2019, Deonte Thompson signed a one-year contract worth $930,000 with the New York Jets as an unrestricted free agent, entering the eighth year of his professional career with the aim of securing a spot on the 53-man roster as a veteran wide receiver and potential return specialist.[69][70][71] Thompson participated in the Jets' training camp and appeared in all three preseason games during the 2019 exhibition schedule, including matchups against the New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, and New Orleans Saints, where he contributed on offense and special teams but recorded no statistics.[72][73][74] Despite his efforts, Thompson did not appear in any regular-season games for the Jets.[75][1] The Jets released Thompson on August 31, 2019, as part of their final roster cuts to reach the 53-player limit, marking his last transaction in the National Football League.[70][76][77] At age 30, following this release, Thompson made no further attempts to return to the league, effectively ending his NFL playing career that had spanned multiple teams since 2012.[5]Personal life
Marriage and family
Deonte Thompson is married to Jasmine Thompson (née Openbook), with their relationship beginning during his tenure with the Chicago Bears.[78] He is a father to at least three children, including a daughter from a previous relationship and two sons whom he references using the hashtags #GodSpeed and #ThompsonTough on social media.[78][79] Following his retirement from the NFL, Thompson relocated to the New York area, where he has emphasized family as a top priority in his Instagram posts (@deonte_dt15).[78] As of 2025, the 36-year-old retired athlete presents himself as a dedicated family man, promoting the "ThompsonTough" mindset inspired by his roots in Muck City, Florida.[5]Public incidents
In July 2016, Deonte Thompson became the subject of widespread media attention due to allegations of infidelity that surfaced on the day of his wedding to Jourdan Neal at the Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, Florida.[79] Dria Felton, who identified herself as Thompson's former partner and the mother of his child, posted on Instagram several hours before the ceremony, sharing intimate photos of the pair, screenshots of explicit text messages exchanged between them, and images of their daughter, all tagged with the couple's wedding hashtag to maximize exposure.[79][80] The revelations quickly spread across social media and drew coverage from outlets including BET, which described the exposure as occurring at "the worst possible time: his wedding day."[79] This scandal unfolded amid Thompson's first significant receiving season with the Chicago Bears in 2016, during which he recorded 22 receptions for 249 yards and 2 touchdowns, yet the off-field drama had no discernible effect on his playing time or role within the team.[1] The incident represented a rare public controversy for Thompson, who has since demonstrated resilience by avoiding further scandals or legal entanglements, maintaining a relatively private life post-retirement as of 2025.Career statistics
Regular season
Deonte Thompson's NFL regular season career, spanning 2012 to 2018, saw him appear in 66 games with 22 starts across multiple teams. He totaled 94 receptions for 1,193 yards and 4 receiving touchdowns, alongside 2 rushing attempts for -5 yards, and 88 kick returns for 2,179 yards at an average of 24.8 yards per return.[1] The following table provides a year-by-year breakdown of his regular season statistics, drawn from official NFL records updated through 2019 (with no regular season appearances that year).[1]| Year | Team(s) | GP/GS | Receiving (Rec/Yds/TD) | Rushing (Att/Yds/TD) | Kick Returns (No./Yds/Avg/Long/TD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | BAL | 6/0 | 5/51/0 | 0/0/0 | 15/389/25.9/49/0 |
| 2013 | BAL | 7/0 | 10/96/0 | 0/0/0 | 7/201/28.7/47/0 |
| 2014 | BUF | 1/0 | 0/0/0 | 0/0/0 | 0/0/--/0/0 |
| 2015 | CHI | 7/0 | 2/81/0 | 0/0/0 | 14/409/29.2/74/0 |
| 2016 | CHI | 16/6 | 22/249/2 | 0/0/0 | 35/804/23.0/64/0 |
| 2017 | CHI/BUF | 16/10 | 38/555/2 | 2/-5/0 | 11/229/20.8/29/0 |
| 2018 | DAL/BUF | 13/6 | 17/161/0 | 0/0/0 | 6/147/24.5/35/0 |
| Career | - | 66/22 | 94/1,193/4 | 2/-5/0 | 88/2,179/24.8/74/0 |