Tommy DeVito Ready to Author Next Chapter in Football Career for Giants

The homemade chicken cutlets……living in his childhood home…the TV cutaways to his proud parents and agent cheering in the stands…the internet commercials and personal appearances…the Italian pinch celebration…

All of these highlighted the rag to riches rise of new Giants starting quarterback Tommy DeVito, the undrafted rookie free agent last year who was supposed to sit on the practice squad developing but who thanks to injuries to Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor, was pressed into action as a starting quarterback probably before he was truly ready.

DeVito, to his credit, wrote one of the most inspiring stories last season, winning three straight games including one against a very good Green Bay PAckers team during a primetime game, a time slot that has never been particularly good to the Giants.

In the process, DeVito helped to keep the Giants slim playoff hopes alive as long as he could until finally things started catching up to him in a total team meltdown against the New Orleans Saints that ultimately led to his benching in favor of Taylor, who had returned from injured reserve.

These days, DeVito, who was the emergency quarterback for the first ten games, is back as the Giants’ starting quarterback, this time though under different and, some might say, controversial circumstances. 

He was chosen by head coach Brian Daboll ahead of veteran Drew Lock, the No. 2 quarterback all season long because of his limited body of work last year which has seemingly inspired more confidence from the coaching staff in his ability to lead the team.

“It means a lot,” DeVito said Wednesday of the opportunity. “Just another opportunity to get out on the field, showcase my abilities, play for my teammates and the organization.”

DeVito, who admitted to being surprised by all the attention his story received last year, including all the extra curricular stuff that developed as his story captured the NFL’s attention, said that while he’s grateful for what transpired, this year he’s more locked in in taking advantage of the opportunity in front of him in which if he can play reasonably well he will have a chance to be a part of the quarterback room next year, perhaps even as the No. 2.

“Last year was a good story and all, it was kind of like how it happened, but all the fun and games outside, it was fun, it was last year, I’m kind of over that,” said DeVito. “I’m sticking to football now, not that I wasn’t before, but really focused on that, the external stuff will be on pause. I already had talks with everybody around me, my inner circle, it is going to stay very tight and make sure that everything is about production on Sunday.”

While the overall tone of the locker room is one of remorse for having let Jones down, the players are ready to throw their support behind DeVito.

“I think he’s a good player, obviously,” said receiver Darius Slayton. “Last year he played good football, so I expect him to play well again this year.”

“I’m excited about that,” added defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence II. “He showed his flashes last year, obviously. And I have trust in him, and I trust in what the team has seen from him, so I’m excited.”

While DeVito obviously feels for Jones and the circumstances that have led to the change, he is also not about to throw the opportunity away to justify the organization’s faith in him to provide a spark.

“Yeah, I think I bring a certain confidence, energy, swag, whatever you call it, to the team, to the people around me,” DeVito said. 

“I think I’ve kind of always had that growing up from when I was even younger, so I kind of just bring that energy. It’s all about really enjoying it for me. 

“It’s like, it is a children’s game, obviously there’s a lot more money and a lot more stakes into it, but at the same time, if you don’t enjoy going out there, you don’t play with the same kind of passion that you would if you did, so really just trying to keep everybody’s high spirits up, enjoy it, and just bring energy when I’m out there.”

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