Just after Christmas in 2021, Thomas Castellanos faced a profound loss with the passing of his eldest brother, Akeem Jones. The grief was so overwhelming that he considered walking away from football entirely. Instead, he persevered, driven by a deeper purpose. After a season at the University of Central Florida and two more at Boston College, his winding journey has led him to a pivotal moment: preparing for his first start with the Florida State Seminoles against the formidable Alabama Crimson Tide this Saturday in Tallahassee.
What Inspired Thomas Castellanos to Keep Playing?
Castellanos told Trevor Hass of the Boston Globe in 2023 that memories of conversations with his brother inspired him to stick with football. Hass explained that Castellanos and Jones would talk long into the night. Jones, who once played quarterback, held unwavering faith in his younger brother, even when others did not. That memory became his motivation.
However, Castellanos’s journey has not been without its bumps in the road. He was a highly touted talent when he transferred from UCF to Boston College in 2023 to play under head coach Jeff Hafley. In his sophomore year, Castellanos played in 13 games and threw for 2,248 yards with 15 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
Why Did His Time at Boston College End Abruptly?
The situation changed when Bill O’Brien took over as head coach of Boston College ahead of the 2024 season. While Castellanos started the 2024 campaign strong with 1,366 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, and five interceptions in eight games, things went sideways in the eighth game against Syracuse on November 9.
Grayson James replaced Castellanos during that game and took over the starting role. Whether Castellanos was benched due to an injury or a slow start is still debated, but it quickly became clear his time with BC was ending.
As reported by David Hale of ESPN, Castellanos left the team two days later, igniting a war of words with O’Brien over the cause of the rupture. “Whatever [O’Brien] said or is out there, ‘he got benched’ or ‘he quit,’ that’s not true,” Castellanos told ESPN. “Only the people in that room know what went down, legally and personally, know the true story.”
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O’Brien offered his perspective to ESPN, stating, “Tommy can think what he wants. We supported the hell out of Tommy. We coached Tommy, we taught Tommy. I wish him the best … He’s the starting QB at Florida State. It worked out well. I wish him the best.”
Now, Castellanos is poised to lead the Seminoles against Alabama on Saturday. With this new opportunity, he hopes to perform well and, most importantly, make his late brother proud.