Brian Daboll explains why Giants are starting Tommy DeVito after Daniel Jones’ benching

NEW YORK — With quarterback Daniel Jones benched, the Giants are preparing for a second helping of Tommy Cutlets.

The Giants (2-8) are moving forward with Tommy DeVito as their starter, with head coach Brian Daboll on Monday citing the “spark” the second-year quarterback provided last season among the factors that led to the decision.

DeVito, 26, getting the nod came as a surprise, considering he operated as the Giants’ third-string quarterback through the first 10 games.

Drew Lock, an offseason signing who served as the backup behind Jones, remains the next man up after DeVito going into Sunday’s home game against the Buccaneers, Daboll said.

“We’ve been with Tommy here for a little bit,” Daboll said Monday during a virtual press conference.

“He’s done a nice job throughout practices here, but also you have something to lean on by going back and watching him operate some of our stuff from last year. This is no indication on Drew whatsoever. He’s been excellent for us. It was more about what I felt Tommy gave us.”

DeVito passed for 1,101 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions in nine appearances as an undrafted rookie last season and added 195 yards and another score on the ground.

The Giants went 3-3 in DeVito’s six starts after Jones suffered a season-ending ACL tear, with the three wins coming consecutively.

“After evaluating a bunch of things and looking at a lot of tape and being around Tommy last year, where he created a little bit of a spark for us, that’s the reason why we’re going with Tommy,” Daboll said.

DeVito — who was born in Livingston, N.J., and attended Don Bosco Preparatory High School in Ramsey — quickly emerged as a local favorite last season.

He earned the nickname Tommy Cutlets in a nod to his Italian heritage and to the revelation he was living at his childhood home in Cedar Grove, N.J.

“I don’t have to worry about laundry, what I’m eating for dinner, chicken cutlets and all that is waiting for me when I get there,” DeVito told ESPN last year, ahead of his first start. “My mom still makes my bed. Everything is handled for me. Honestly, I don’t even know if I could find a place closer to here than where I live. It takes me 12 minutes to get here.”

DeVito did not finish last year as the starting quarterback, as he struggled in his final two starts before the Giants pivoted back to Tyrod Taylor.

Among DeVito’s issues last season was a propensity to take too many sacks. DeVito has not appeared in a game this year.

“I think he has good fundamentals,” Daboll said. “I think he’s got a good, quick release, but it’s really some of the things in the meeting room, when you’re talking about tape or you’re talking about pressure packages or re-identifications or checks and things like that. He’s played almost 700 snaps for us, preseason and regular season included, so experience helps.”

The Giants opted to bench Jones coming out of their bye week. Jones’ contract includes a $23 million injury guarantee for 2025 that would trigger if he were unable to pass a physical in March, but the Giants can otherwise get out of the final two years on his deal with a palatable cap hit.

Lock, who is 9-14 in his career as a starter, joined the Giants in the offseason on a 1-year, $5 million contract. The 28-year-old completed 3-of-8 passes for six yards in two appearances this year.

Asked how he would respond to an outside perception that the Giants are starting DeVito to put fans in the seats, Daboll replied, “Our conversations will be private. We have plenty of them, and looking forward to Tommy getting ready here to go against Tampa.”

Daboll declined to answer whether Giants ownership had input in the decision.

“The conversation that we had with Drew this morning was a productive one,” Daboll said. “Obviously, he’d like to be the starter and I understand that, but the spark that Tommy gave, not just the offense, but I’d say the team, last year I think is important.”

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