“Tommy” is back in the Big Apple.
No, it’s not the rock opera by The Who, but a rural New Jersey legend in the Meadowlands.
Local Don Bosco product Tommy DeVito will take over the quarterback duties from Daniel Jones through the rest of the season.
His effervescent personality and his open brash boast of his Italian roots took Giants’ fans by storm last season in his nine-game replacement for Jones. “Tommy Cutlets,” affectionately called, had apparently found a home.
DeVito produced a three-game winning streak, throwing for 1,101 yards with eight touchdowns and three interceptions.
A local deli created “The DeVito” in his honor, and he made stops in delis and pizzerias across the Garden State. In his first start, he took the field to the “Sopranos” theme song.
His mother cooked for him every night. It was a New Jersey fairytale.
Still, it wasn’t enough to unseat Jones, who the Giants gave another shot instead of mortgaging part of last year’s draft to get Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, Michael Pennix, or Bo Nix.
Now, 11 weeks later and a 2-8 record, the Giants finally decided it wasn’t going to work with Jones. This was after they gave him a four-year, $160 million pact less than two years ago. Jones’ deal and his incentives as well as his propensity to get injured certainly figured in the decision.
But Jones has never been the same since his second neck injury. Even though he had a new weapon in rookie phenom receiver Malik Nabers, Jones has been too inconsistent.
Giants’ brass didn’t go with veteran backup Drew Lock, whose starter days are behind him with Broncos and Seahawks. At this point of his career, Lock is a true backup.
DeVito can reignite the Giants’ fan base and mask the scars of this season. GM Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll see him as their best chance to pick up a few wins over their final seven-game stretch despite being marred in a five-game losing streak.
Schoen and Daboll also may be feeling the heat even though owner John Mara stated that there wouldn’t be changes. A 2-15 or 3-14 season could change his mind.
Daboll stated there will be some more moves against Tampa Bay Sunday at MetLife, but DeVito’s move will overshadow any of them.
If there’s any psychic connection here, it was Jones who replaced Eli Manning and made his first start against Tampa Bay in 2019. He accounted for four touchdowns – two passing and two running – in a 32-31 victory.
Now, a little over five years later, DeVito will try to play the role of a new savior. DeVito may not be a permanent one, but Giants’ games will be more interesting over the final stretch of the season.
Find an Italian flag, and enjoy the ride.
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