Giants QB Tommy DeVito has had a meteoric rise from undrafted third-stringer to NFL starter
Tommy DeVito of the Giants runs the ball in the game against the Commanders during the fourth quarter at FedExField onSunday in Landover, Md. Credit: Getty Images/Patrick Smith
In training camp, Giants coach Brian Daboll would spend time with third quarterback Tommy DeVito.
DeVito was on the practice squad then, of course, with quarterbacks Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor healthy.
On a Monday Zoom call, Daboll relived a few of those moments when asked about them. Then he spoke in the present tense — because DeVito doesn't appear to be going anywhere.
He helped the Giants earn their third victory of the season on Sunday, throwing three touchdown passes in a 31-19 decision over the Commanders.
“Yeah, he’s a rookie player, so we talk about a lot of different things,” Daboll said. “We meet every Thursday in the morning before everybody gets here and we go through a variety of different things. Situational stuff, basic offensive terminology, [studying] different quarterbacks around the league, different types of tapes that show [something constructive], whether it’s turnover tapes or big-play tapes or red-zone tapes or decision-making tapes. Just a way to get to know the quarterback who’s really the third guy. As a head coach, I think that’s important.”
In training camp, Daboll’s approach with DeVito was to let the undrafted rookie progress while surrounded by the veteran quarterbacks on the roster. Now, with Jones out for the season with a torn ACL and Taylor still on injured reserve with a rib injury, the show belongs to DeVito.
On Zoom calls the day after games during this 3-8 season, Daboll sometimes has provided helpful but short answers. Perhaps buoyed by Sunday’s win, he was more effusive on Monday.
In training camp, Daboll said he saw enough in DeVito that he wanted “to give him a chance.” With the quarterback injuries this season, it was fortuitous that DeVito already was in the fold and was generally ready for that chance.
“I think he operates well in the pocket, he’s got quick feet, he throws with anticipation and timing and he’s instinctive,” Daboll said. “He does a good job of seeing defenders and feeling defenses. I don’t think he’s an over-processor, an overthinker. He can make a variety of the throws and he was a good young player to try to work with and develop and hopefully that we spend a year with him and he gets a little bit better so that maybe he can have something the following year, but things have sped up for him.
"I know he’s had this opportunity and look, there’s plenty of things that he knows he needs to work on and we need to work on with him that we can help him, but he’s got the right mindset, the right approach. He’s done a good job since he’s been here.”
Against Washington, DeVito was efficient. As Commanders coach Ron Rivera said after the game: “There were a couple of big plays that we gave up and we just can’t do that.”
When Daboll was asked if DeVito’s trio of touchdown passes or his absence of turnovers was more impressive, Daboll responded: “Winning.”
DeVito generally seems to make good decisions and has pocket presence. Asked how a young quarterback develops those qualities, Daboll’s initial response was “great question.”
He went on to say a variety of drills can be helpful, “but until you’re actually in the line of fire where you can take those shots from 310, 330 [-pound players], or edge rushers, blitzers, I don’t think you have a great feel.”
Daboll went on to describe what he calls “the congestion that happens in the pocket.”
Some young players panic.
DeVito has been a quick study. The Giants' latest win showed that.
Kimberly Jones covers the Giants for Newsday, a beat she first worked in the early 2000s before joining the YES Network to cover the Yankees. She worked for the NFL Network for more than a decade and has been heard semi-regularly on WFAN.
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