New York Giants rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito is quickly developing a devoted fanbase that is starting to have hints of the craze the once followed former New York Knicks player Jeremy Lin.
Many New Yorkers fondly remember the wild moment in local sports history known as “Lin-sanity.” Just over a decade ago the undrafted talent out of Harvard took the state by storm as he had one of the most entertaining and unexpected 35 game runs in Knicks history.
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The guard proved to be a scoring machine and clutch player during a low-point in the Knicks 2011-12 season and he reenergized the fanbase. It is a period in New York sports that brings positive memories of a lovable underdog story. Well, something similar seems to be brewing among Giants supporters over the last few weeks.
In Week 8, rookie Tommy DeVito was thrust into the starting QB role in a major matchup against the Jets after QB1 Daniel Jones was sidelined and backup Tyrod Taylor was forced out of the game in the opening quarter. Due to his lack of experience and the inclement weather, the coaching staff only let DeVito throw the ball seven times in a forgettable regular season debut where the 25-year-old posted -1 passing yards.
New York Giants record (2023): 4-8
The following week, the QB played better as he hit on 15 of his 20 passes for 175 yards in a blowout loss to the Raiders. The team was again obliterated in Week 10 by the Cowboys by a score of 49-17. However, DeVito showed more signs that he could be a competent starter for the rest of the season with Jones and Taylor both out of the year.
Yet, over the last two weeks, the native of Livingston, NJ has been much more than competent in a pair of back-to-back wins for Big Blue. In his last two outings he has tallied 437 passing yards and four touchdowns, but most importantly he has thrown no interceptions.
His gutsy play, unique celebrations, and his teammates being thrilled with his surprise success has created a growing fanbase that showed out in a major way recently. For a Tuesday signing at Primo Hoagies in Wayne, NJ, ESPN’s New York Giants reporter Jordan Raanan revealed that hundreds of Giants fans showed up to the event to meet the local star.
Raanan claimed the line to meet DeVito “wrapped around building” as fans had the QB autograph shoes, white tank tops, and asked him to sign it as “Tommy Cutlets.”
New York and New Jersey has a notable Italian culture and that, matched with being a local product, has created a craze around the Giants rookie.