You thought Tommy DeVito’s 15 minutes of fame were up, didn’t you? Well, the second-year New York Giants quarterback is suddenly front and center again, and it’s only the first week of preseason.
DeVito was called upon earlier than expected in the Giants’ preseason opener on Thursday night after starter Drew Lock exited the game with a hip/oblique injury in the first quarter.
All the Jersey native did was lead the Giants on two scoring drives with the help of another second-year player, running back Eric Gray, allowing the Giants to take control of the game.
“Two guys that do the right thing on and off the field,” head coach Brian Daboll said after the game. “Where Tommy came from in rookie camp to where he was playing last year to understanding a lot of the nuances of our offense, I think he’s made strides.
“And I have thought Gray has gotten stronger as camp went on. He made a couple nice plays tonight. Two young players, keep developing them.”
DeVito burst on the scene last year as a rookie and became a sensation by leaning on his local roots and by winning three games as a starter. He eventually leveled out, but not after showing the Giants’ brass that they may have something here.
“He’s getting better,” continued Daboll. “I think he’s got firm control of the offense. The guys have a lot of confidence in him. I have confidence in him. He’s really come a long way since he’s been here. It’s good for him to play as much as he did. So, keep on developing him. Quarterbacks are hard to find in this league. Undrafted, free agent, won three games, played in some games last year for us. Still knows he has a long way to go, but smart, accurate, makes good decisions. Good young player to work with.”
Lock is expected to be out for an undisclosed period of time, and starter Daniel Jones being coddled after an offseason of extensive rehab on his torn ACL. The Giants do not have a fourth quarterback at the moment, so the buck is stopping with DeVito for now.
DeVito was unfazed by his meteoric rise last season and has kept his head. He’s working harder than ever and realizes he may be more than just a flash in the pan.
“It’s kind of crazy standing here right now knowing a whole year has passed,” DeVito told reporters after the Giants’ 14-3 preseason win over the Detroit Lions on Thursday night.
“My thoughts going into preseason are a little different now. Last year was a little bit of nerves. First NFL game, so there was a lot of excitement that went into it. But now I kind of get the gist of it, played in some actual games that are a little different than preseason.”
DeVito isn’t complicating things. He knows there’s still a lot of room for improvement and keeping it real. He simply wants to continue to get better and help the Giants succeed when his number gets called. He’s much more prepared for his role as a backup this year.
DeVito knows this colorful backstory will only carry him so far. Now, it’s time to produce at a higher level.
“I’ve been in here for a year,” he said. “It’s not my first NFL game anymore. That’s really what it was. I’ve gotten hit in the NFL before. I’ve played, I’ve won, I’ve lost. I’ve kind of dealt with a lot in the past year. I felt comfortable being in the situation again today.”
On Sunday, Lock’s status was still up in the air. Daboll was asked if the No. 2 quarterback spot was suddenly in play.
“I’d say, with Tommy and Drew, all we’re going to ask them to do is go out there and play as good as they can play and produce,” Daboll said. “And all those decisions will be made at the end of camp based on who we think gives us the best chance.”
Quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney had this to add:
“I think anytime a guy gets nicked up for a little bit, the next guy up has a big opportunity,” he said. “I think Tommy understands that, especially with going through what he went through last year in terms of having to step up when Ty (Tyrod Taylor) and Daniel got hurt. That definitely was an opportunity for him. I have a lot of confidence in Tommy.”
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