Tommy DeVito Feels More Ready Ahead of First NFL Start
For as much as every player would have us believe that they prepare every week as though they were a starter when that moment comes during a game, it can be an off-kilter type of experience.
Such has been the last few weeks for New Jersey native Tommy DeVito, the undrafted rookie free agent named the starting quarterback of the New York Giants by head coach Brian Daboll for this Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys.
"Right? I think it’s a shock to everybody," DeVito told reporters at his locker on Wednesday. "Not to have one quarterback but two quarterbacks go down, I mean, it’s tough. The quarterback position runs the team, and to have one and two go down like that, you would’ve never guessed that to happen. But again, it’s a physical game, injuries happen, part of it, the worst part about the game, but it’s the next man up mentality, and I’m going to rely on everyone else around me."
DeVito, who did most of the heavy lifting for the Giants during the preseason, has since been tucked away on the practice squad, where he's been tasked with running the scout team offense. But since being added to the 53-man roster and since the season-ending knee injury suffered by Daniel Jones, DeVito is now firmly in the spotlight as he prepares to make history as the first undrafted rookie free agent to start for the Giants franchise this Sunday.
"It feels good," DeVito said. "Just taking everything one play at a time, one meeting at a time, one day at a time, and that’s it. Just leaning on my teammates around me."
Obviously, he would have preferred not to ascend to the starting position at the expense of Jones and Tyrod Taylor, both of whom have season-ending injuries. But DeVito has no control over how he gets to center stage; he can only control what he does once he gets there.
And now that he's there, he'd thrust himself deeper into preparing. He's met with head coach Brian Daboll, offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, and quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney to further strengthen his grasp of the playbook. He's also been leaning on Jones, who has chosen to hang around the facility to help as much as he can while he waits for the swelling in his injured knee to subside, and Taylor, who is also hanging around the facility.
All of that has been helpful in his finding a comfort level that maybe wasn't there in his last two appearances.
"He was up here early yesterday on the players' off day, and I’d say we met for a while," Daboll said after confirming DeVito would be the starter on Sunday. "He’s putting everything he has into it. He’s looking forward to the opportunity, and he’ll be out there with the first group; we had a good walkthrough with him, so he’s doing everything he can do to put himself in a good position to be ready to go."
Given the whirlwind of the last few weeks, DeVito is doing all he can to keep his feet on the ground and not lose his focus.
"Yeah, I’m not really thinking too much about it, honestly. I kind of took it the same day. If anything, it’s the outside, like the family, the friends, everybody’s that’s been reaching out, I think that’s been kind of the shock of it," he said.
"But for me, it’s football, right? It’s another day; it’s a game that I’ve been playing since I was really young, but it will be my first start in the NFL, so I know it’s going to be some emotion there. Especially with the great supposed atmosphere in Dallas. I have not been, but I heard it’s a nice stadium, so I’m looking forward to it."
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