Tommy DeVito Makes Good with Local Pizzeria Following Appearance Fee Dispute
All's well that ends well for New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito and Coniglio's Old Fashioned Pizzeria, who made headlines after a miscommunication regarding the quarterback's appearance fee caused the restaurant to cancel its booking of DeVito and to air its grievances over the appearance fee having been doubled from $10,000 to $20,000.
DeVito, according to sports business reporter Darren Rovell, whose report of the story went viral, showed up on his own and for free to make amends with Coniglio's owner, Nino Coniglio, who were filmed making old-fashioned sodas together behind the counter.
Coniglio's claimed that it had an agreement in principle with DeVito's agent, Sean Stellato, in which the quarterback would sign autographs for fans at the business's establishment in Morristown, New Jersey for a $10,000 appearance fee negotiated before the Giant's Monday night game against the Green Bay Packers.
However, after the Giants beat the Packers last Monday, Stellato, according to Coniglio's via Rovell, doubled the fee to $20,000, causing the restaurant to cancel the appearance.
Stellato disputed the restaurant's claim, telling Rovell, "It’s a shame that the restaurant promoted that they would have Tommy when we didn’t have a signed contract. We didn’t raise the price because nothing was ever agreed to.”
Coniglio's, however, not only disputed Stellato's claim, it also produced a text message alleged to have come from Stellato in which the $10,000 appearance fee was agreed to in principle.
DeVito, originally destined to sit on the practice squad where he could develop this season, has seen his star rise since stepping in as the Giants starting quarterback thanks to injuries to Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor.
He has endeared himself to Giants fans thanks to his Jersey roots, his living at home with his parents, his Italian pinch celebratory gesture, and the three-game winning streak he was a part of, which renewed talk of an improbable playoff berth.
But last week, DeVito and the Giants were routed by the New Orleans Saints, 24-6, a loss, while not solely the rookie's fault, wasn't exactly helped by his continued holding the ball too long, indecisiveness and inability to make the kinds of plays he made during the winning streak.
Giants general manager Joe Schoen has already publically confirmed that the team will need to add to their quarterback room in the offseason, given that Jones is rehabbing from a torn ACL and veteran Tyrod Taylor is set to his free agency.
DeVito, who will remain the starting quarterback for the team for the time being, could very well drop on the depth chart next year to the No. 2 or No. 3 quarterback, depending on whom the Giants bring in and when Jones, whom head coach Brian Daboll has already said will be the starter next year once healthy, is medically cleared to return.
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