Getty New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito in Week 11.
In a season where very little has gone right, undrafted rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito has breathed some life into the New York Giants franchise — and he’s getting some attention around the league.
“The @Giants may have found something with Tommy DeVito,” long-time NFL QB Chase Daniel voiced on November 24 after breaking down some Giants film on “The Chase Daniel Show.”
The retired vet added that “[DeVito] may have played himself into a long @NFL career,” noting that he showed “he belongs in [the] NFL” against the Washington Commanders.
You can view Daniel’s full breakdown here.
Tommy DeVito Emergence Proves 2 Things for Giants Fans
Let’s be clear. Daniel isn’t suggesting that the Giants should role with DeVito as the starter next season, but the local success story could certainly become a low-priced backup of the future.
Either way, DeVito’s emergence should prove two important things to Big Blue supporters:
- One; head coach Brian Daboll knows how to develop young QBs.
Daboll was hired in large part because of this ability to get the best out of quarterbacks. He did so with Josh Allen in Buffalo, and he made Daniel Jones look pretty good in year one too — without all the injuries around him.
Daboll also has a long track record both in this league, and college football, where he’s done great work with different signal-callers. DeVito is the latest notch on Daboll’s belt, and that’s a good sign if the Giants draft a new face of the franchise in 2024.
That leads us to point number two:
- Daniel Jones is most likely not the long-term answer in New York.
Jones may be here in 2024 as an expensive bridge for a rookie QB, but his future is less certain now more than ever.
DeVito’s success diminishes the former first rounder’s playoff run last season. Most of the Giants’ victories were one-score games in 2022, and Jones only averaged 200.3 passing yards per game (with 22 total touchdowns) despite leading the team to nine wins.
For reference, DeVito threw for 246 passing yards and three touchdowns in Week 11.
Granted, the UDFA only passed for 86 versus the Dallas Cowboys — with 175 in relief against the Las Vegas Raiders and -1 during the odd run-heavy battle of New York — but the point isn’t that DeVito is better than Jones. The point is if an undrafted talent can put up similar numbers to a first-round selection under Daboll, said first rounder probably isn’t the answer.
Tommy DeVito Will Face Tough Test in Week 12 Against Bill Belichick, Patriots Defense
DeVito is coming off the high of his first career NFL win, but Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots defense should be much more challenging on the rookie QB than Washington.
The 33rd Team’s Josh Larky shared some of Belichick’s statistics facing rookie quarterbacks on November 24.
Bill Belichick has faced 23 rookie QBs since 2010…
They have averaged:
194 Passing Yards
0.8 Passing TDs
1.3 INTs
10.8 Fantasy Points
Tommy DeVito and the New York Giants are in for a long day
#ForeverNE #NYGiants
“Bill Belichick has faced 23 rookie QBs since 2010,” he informed. “They have averaged: 194 Passing Yards, 0.8 Passing TDs, 1.3 INTs, 10.8 Fantasy Points.”
“Tommy DeVito and the New York Giants are in for a long day,” Larky predicted.
It’s true, Belichick’s defenses have a reputation for confusing and swallowing up rookie signal-callers, but perhaps Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka can help counteract that for DeVito.
This was a well-coached offense in 2022, and we saw a little bit of that again last weekend. It’ll be interesting to see how DeVito can follow up on his Week 11 performance.
“To be [at] home, I’ll be comfortable,” DeVito told reporters on November 22. “It’ll be a lot of fun.”
As for the matchup, DeVito said that Belichick is “one of the greatest of all-time, or is the greatest of all-time coach to ever come through the NFL.” Adding that “it’s an honor to go play against him.”
“It’s a challenge [and] I look forward to it,” the rookie went on later. “At the end of the day, I’m going to continue to do what I do and prepare, and continue to just try and lead this team, lead this offense and not think too much about it.”