One of the oddities of the 2023 NFL season was the rise to prominence of New York Giants rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito, an undrafted free agent who ended up going 3-3 as the Giants starter after Daniel Jones tore his ACL and backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor went down with an injury.
DeVito, given the nickname "Tommy Cutlets" thanks to his affinity for his mother's chicken cutlets, is about to get another chance in the spotlight.
The Giants made a move more in line with finances than football when they benched Jones and leapfrogged DeVito, the third string quarterback, over backup Drew Lock to start in Week 12 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
With a 2-8 record, the Giants are headed toward a major rebuild that doesn't include Jones, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft who signed a 4-year, $160 million contract extension in March 2023 that included $92 million in guaranteed money.
"... though the Giants' record and Jones' play were key factors in the move, ownership and general manager Joe Schoen also had to consider that there is a $23 million injury guarantee in his contract for 2025 that becomes fully guaranteed if he gets injured and is unable to pass a physical in the offseason," ESPN's Jordan Ranaan wrote on November 18. "The Giants are not the first team to sit a quarterback to protect themselves against a substantial injury guarantee. Last year alone, the Denver Broncos did the same with Russell Wilson ($37 million) and the Las Vegas Raiders with Jimmy Garoppolo ($11.25 million)."
Jones, who has almost certainly played his final game with the Giants, ends his time with the franchise with a 24-44-1 record as a starter -- he's been demoted to the No. 3 quarterback behind DeVito and Lock.
It's hard to imagine a situation in which the Buccaneers' defense might adapt to a change well -- they've been one of the NFL's worst defenses in 2024 and whatever pre-scouting work had been done on the Giants and Jones now gets thrown out the window.
DeVito might have the advantage of surprise on the Buccaneers -- or adrenaline -- as he'll be making the start in front of a home crowd at MetLife Stadium that hasn't seen much good football and will be chomping at the bit for a win. Also factor in that DeVito grew up in nearby Cedar Grove, New Jersey, and it's a potent mix for the home team.
As a quarterback, DeVito is a threat to run as much as he is to throw but only went over 200 yards passing once in 6 starts, throwing for 246 yards, 3 touchdowns and no interceptions in a win over the Washington Commanders in 2023.
Tampa Bay's season is teetering on the brink after injuries to key players wiped away a 4-2 start -- the Buccaneers are 4-6 headed to play the Giants after 4 consecutive losses, including 3 by one score and the last 2 ending on the last play of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.
The Buccaneers do have some experience having their backs against the wall in recent seasons. They were 4-7 in 2023 and rallied to finish 9-8 and make the playoffs. They were 6-8 in 2022 and rallied to finish 8-9 and make the playoffs.