The New York Giants‘ injury troubles persist as they have announced that starting quarterback Daniel Jones suffered an ACL tear and is set to miss the rest of the 2023 season. With the team’s overall 2-7 record, their focus will likely shift toward selecting a quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft.
With backup QB Tyrod Taylor also set to miss time due to a rib injury, rookie Tommy DeVito has an opportunity to step up and showcase his abilities as a reliable backup for future seasons.
Tommy DeVito to take over at quarterback
DeVito a New Jersey native, is a 25-year-old undrafted rookie out of Illinois. He was never anticipated to take the field this season, let alone assume a starting role.
DeVito was a standout during the preseason and ranked 6th in passing yards among all preseason quarterbacks. He wrapped up the preseason completing 43 out of 64 passes for a total of 453 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. Although preseason performances should be considered lightly, his potential was definitely on display.
Despite receiving zero snaps with the first-team offense in practice, DeVito has shown great promise and resilience on the field.
DeVito made his NFL debut in Week 8 against the New York Jets when Taylor went down with his injury. DeVito notched his first NFL rushing touchdown, which ended up being the only touchdown scored in the game.
However, Head Coach Brian Daboll only allowed him to throw seven passes throughout the contest, where he only completed two for a total loss of one yard. Despite chants from the crowd urging for the rookie to throw more, the game plan seemed to focus on running the ball. This led many to speculate that the coaching staff lacked confidence in DeVito’s passing abilities.
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Does the coaching staff trust DeVito?
When asked about the coaching staff’s confidence in his abilities, DeVito revealed that his lack of forward passes was due to a specific game plan, not a lack of trust.
“There were no handcuffs on me at all in the preseason. We threw the ball all over the place. On my end, I don’t think there is any lack of confidence. I think it would be a different situation [this week], for sure, on how the game played out. … It really was part of the game plan, with the way that our defense was playing, the way the weather was, the score of the game, so many scenarios played into it more than saying we weren’t throwing the ball. Besides the last couple of plays, we were winning that football game – and if we win, then nobody says anything about it.”
Tommy Devito told the New York Post
In Week 9 against the Las Vegas Raiders, DeVito had a chance to take the field again when Jones unfortunately suffered a knee injury early in the second quarter. DeVito impressively completed 15 out of 20 passes, resulting in 175 yards and a nine-yard touchdown pass to receiver Wan’Dale Robinson.
DeVito did throw two interceptions; however, one of the two occurred due to the ball bouncing off the hands of Darius Slayton.
Giants captain expresses support for DeVito
DeVito’s remarkable journey from being an undrafted rookie to a potential starter has gained the support and admiration of the locker room. He has already earned the respect of the team, particularly from captain Saquon Barkley.
“I think [DeVito] did great. I’ve got nothing but love for Tommy. He’s a natural born leader. He’s a true competitor and I have a lot of respect for him.”
Saquon Barkley according to Art Stapleton
The Giants do currently have veteran QB Matt Barkley on their practice squad, and they recently worked out former Colts fourth-round QB Jacob Eason.
However, considering the lack of available quarterbacks on Big Blue’s roster, it would come as no shock to see DeVito as the starting QB moving forward. Although the stats from his first two games may not jump off the page, with more practice, he possesses the potential to at least keep the Giants competitive.
