Five memorable moments from Tommy DeVito's tenure with Giants

The undrafted free agent from Illinois rocketed into the national spotlight after a slew of injuries in the quarterback room forced head coach Brian Daboll to turn to the then-rookie midway through the 2023 season.

DeVito's story was the classic underdog tale, as the Italian-American kid from New Jersey led his hometown team to three consecutive wins in 2023. Of course, that was the only good news for the Giants, as the feel-good story came to a crashing halt when the team ended the season 6-11. They went 3-14 the following year.

Ultimately, DeVito's time with the Giants can be characterized by a handful of highlights amid an ocean of lowlights. Here are the most memorable of those from DeVito's time with Big Blue. 

The first finger purse touchdown celebration  

DeVito's Italian-American heritage made waves among Giants fans, who frequently inserted the finger-purse emoji in nearly every comment about him. The gesture is used in Italy as a way of asking "what do you want," but usually when someone is frustrated. In America, it mostly means someone is about to talk in a bad Italian accent. 

DeVito's teammates told him to use it as a touchdown celebration to lean into the memes. He obliged them when he hit ex-Giants running back Saquon Barkley for a 24-yard touchdown pass.

A two-minute drill for the win on "Monday Night Football"

Most were expecting the clock to strike midnight for DeVito in a prime-time game against the Green Bay Packers. Instead, DeVito proved he was more than a funny meme but an actual quarterback. With 1:33 left in the game and the Giants trailing by one point, DeVito went 4-for-4 passing for 53 yards as part of an eight-play, 57-yard game-winning drive. This piece of quarterbacking is undoubtedly the best DeVito has ever looked on the field. 

DeVito and his agent have a serious conversation

Ahead of the "Monday Night Football" win, the ESPN crew caught DeVito talking to his agent, Sean Stellato. With mob movie stereotypes fueling DeVito's rise in popularity, it was fortuitous that his agent was wearing a fedora and striped suit while making a call for his client. The shot became instant fodder for the internet.

Baker Mayfield mocks DeVito's celebration

2024 marked the beginning of the end for DeVito's 15 minutes of fame. Perhaps the most embarrassing moment came when Baker Mayfield rushed for a touchdown at the start of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 30-7 Week 12 rout of the Giants. Mayfield aggressively threw DeVito's own celebration back at miserable Giants fans, mocking the once-beloved backup and reminding fans that DeVito wasn't the answer to saving the franchise.

DeVito puts on a show in his preseason farewell

DeVito's final game with the Giants came during the second half of the team's 2025 preseason finale against the New England Patriots. With a quarterback room consisting of veterans Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston and first-round pick Jaxson Dart, DeVito was the odd man out. Still, he remained professional about the situation all summer long and gave the fans at MetLife Stadium a three-touchdown performance to cheer for. 

DeVito still has the makings of a varsity athlete, as a certain Tony Soprano might say, so it's likely he'll remain in the league as a backup. On any given Sunday, DeVito may just find himself in the spotlight again.