Tommy DeVito (Again) Takes Over as New York Giants' Starting Quarterback

With the demotion of Daniel Jones, former Illinois star DeVito returns as the Giants' No. 1

Aug 24, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito (15) jogs off the field following the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images / Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

When the NFL's New York Giants on Monday announced the demotion of starting quarterback Daniel Jones, the move thrust a minor cult figure – and a major source of feel-good nostalgia around Champaign, Illinois – back into the spotlight.

Tommy DeVito, a former starting quarterback at Illinois, was elevated from backup to the Giants' new starter by coach Brian Daboll. The demotion of Jones to the team's No. 3 quarterback role also moved Drew Lock into the backup role.

"After evaluating a bunch of things and looking at a lot of tape and being around Tommy last year where he created a little bit of a spark for us, that's the reason why we're going with Tommy," Daboll said.

Coach Daboll: We are making a quarterback switch from Daniel Jones to Tommy DeVito. After evaluating and watching a lot of tape, that's the reason we are going with Tommy. Drew Lock will be the backup. This was a necessary move for us and I'm looking forward to working with Tommy… pic.twitter.com/OTPmSCIq0P

— New York Giants (@Giants) November 18, 2024

DeVito, who played in nine games as a rookie for the Giants last year, took over as their starter over the final six games when Jones suffered a season-ending neck injury. New York won three in a row during one stretch with DeVito behind center, and the former Illini finished the season with eight touchdowns, three interceptions and a passer rating of 89.2.

In last place in the NFC East and tied for the fewest wins in the league, the Giants (2-8) are skulking their way to what will almost certainly be a second straight season with no playoff appearance, and seventh in eight seasons.

Jones, who signed a four-year, $160 million deal with the Giants less than two years ago, had been averaging 207.0 passing yards, with eight touchdowns, seven interceptions and a 79.4 passer rating. But just as significant was a $23 million injury guarantee in his contract for 2025 that would become fully guaranteed in the event he were unable to pass a physical in the offseason,

DeVito played just one season at Illinois (2022) after transferring from Syracuse with a year of eligibility left, but he made it one to remember. In a season in which he led the Big Ten in completion percentage and posted a 141.2 passer rating, DeVito led the Illini to their highest win total (eight) in 15 years and an appearance in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

It's unclear what it would take to convince the Giants to turn the keys over to DeVito long term, but if he can salvage anything from the rest of this season and offer some hope for better days ahead, the New Jersey-born DeVito would seem to at least have the temperament for the job of New York Giants starting quarterback.

As DeVito's personal quarterback coach, Tony Racioppi, told the New York Post last year, “The way he’s wired, nothing really fazes him. That might come from his experiences at Syracuse and Illinois – being a highly touted recruit, playing early, playing well, then not playing well, then getting benched. If you can work yourself through those things, you develop a sense of self-confidence and thick skin, and it doesn’t really matter if it’s college football or the NFL.”

The Giants next play Sunday at home against the 4-6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (noon CT), who have lost four in a row.

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