The improbable run of Tommy DeVito now includes some silverware.
The New York Giants quarterback was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week on Wednesday for his Week 14 performance against the Green Bay Packers.
In a 24-22 victory in which he orchestrated the game-winning drive as time expired, the undrafted rookie completed 17-of-21 passes (81%) for 158 yards and one touchdown to go with 71 rushing yards. With a strong second half in which he connected on 10-of-11 attempts, DeVito became the second undrafted rookie since 1967 with a completion percentage of 80 or higher (minimum 15 attempts) in a game.
He’s also the first starting quarterback since the NFL began tracking the stat line in 1949 to post an 80-plus% completion rating, rush for 70 or more yards, commit no turnovers, and take no sacks.
His heroics against the Packers increased his and the Giants’ winning streak to three games, pulling them back into the NFC playoff picture. Entering Week 15 against the New Orleans Saints, they sit just one game out of the final Wild Card spot in the conference.
With it, DeVito is the first Giants rookie quarterback to win three straight starts since Phil Simms reeled off four straight victories during the 1979 season.
This has been a meteoric ride for the 25-year-old, who started the season on the team’s practice squad as their third-string quarterback. Injuries to both Daniel Jones — first a neck issue before suffering a season-ending torn ACL — and Tyrod Taylor, opened the door for him to take the reins. Even with Taylor returning from a rib-cage injury, head coach Brian Daboll has stuck with DeVito.
“He’s learned our offense… We put a lot of resources into this position. You need to. He’s come along at each step,” Daboll said. “The more he plays, the more he’s going to see. As a young quarterback, you’re going to see a lot. It’s not always going to be perfect, but when people see him in here and working, he’s really just done what we’ve asked him to do, and it’s really important to him.
“He loves the game of football. I think when you deal with the guy, I don’t think he makes it bigger than it is, either. It’s football. Obviously, it’s the highest level, and there’s different things and coverages and he’s going to get tested, and one week you could be up, one week you could be down. We’ll try to stay as steady as we can with his development.”
