How Saquon Barkley's respect for Tommy DeVito is fueling 'Jersey boy' story with NY Giants

EAST RUTHERFORD − Whatever Tommy DeVito turns this opportunity as the New York Giants' starting quarterback into, if it's a fleeting albeit memorable few weeks in a lost season, or a run that solidifies his place on an NFL roster going forward, Saquon Barkley's presence in all of this should not be ignored.

And we're not talking about Barkley's production on the field, although that obviously matters as well.

What Barkley did for DeVito from the moment he stepped into the huddle for the first time last month when Tyrod Taylor was injured against the Jets is undeniable.

Tommy DeVito: From 'Who's this guy?' to 'He's our guy!'

Barkley made sure veterans upset with how this season was playing out did not check out on DeVito. He embraced the undrafted rookie immediately after the Jets game, and again in Las Vegas against the Raiders.

When the entire NFL world was seemingly against DeVito, mocking him as a caricature of a player straight out of a "Jersey Shore" reboot, Barkley pushed back.

With words and actions, Barkley picked him up. He gave him respect. Backed his effort.

There is tremendous value in that, and Barkley had a choice to make when the Giants' chips were running out. He could remain all in, even though the inexperience of a 25-year-old quarterback would almost certainly mean 11 sets of eyes on defense were going to be squarely on making his game days even more challenging.

"Just the way he comes to work every single day," Barkley said. "When he was the scout team quarterback, the way he would work there. Also, it's the National Football League. If you're in the National Football League, you're here for a reason, not by accident. I don't think Tommy flinched at all. You're not here by accident. You're here to do a job, and every week he's been getting better and better."

'They've had a lot of trust in me'

DeVito has put everything he has into earning his spot with the Giants, and what's even more impressive is that quest was never about winning the starting job. The depth chart was clearly defined: Daniel Jones and Taylor were the game day options, and if DeVito were to stick around, he had to compete with them, but the motivation was supposed to be development as a prospect, not the chance to wear a uniform on Sundays, let alone actually play once the preseason ended.

It's why DeVito faced a gut check when the Giants waived him in the summer at final cuts. He did not want to go anywhere - as you've heard by now, he had the comfort of living with his parents at his childhood home in Cedar Grove, a 15-minute commute to work, and Brian Daboll's coaching staff committed to his talent when no one called during the NFL Draft this past spring.

But there was interest from other teams, and DeVito had no choice but to listen. There were no guarantees anywhere, and one of those potential suitors was New England, which faced a bit of an unsettled scenario after waiving 2022 draft pick Bailey Zappe, leaving Mac Jones alone at the top of the depth chart.

DeVito wanted to be back with the Giants, however, so he signed back with the practice squad here, turning aside any other PS offers. "I'm back where I belong," is what DeVito told NorthJersey.com, and the rest became team history in last Sunday's 31-19 victory over Washington when he became the first Giants quarterback since at least 1950 to throw for five touchdown passes in his first two career starts.

"They've had a lot of trust in me. They make that known," said DeVito, who leads the Giants with six touchdown passes despite playing in just four games.

"So when they're calling plays, they’re calling plays that they're going to let me go out and do what I do. There's no handcuffs, there's none of that. So I appreciate that. They just continue to try to get me one step better every week and hold me to a high standard as I do myself.”

Tommy DeVito vs. Bill Belichick and Patriots

Barkley caught two of those scores from DeVito against the Commanders, and now they'll turn their focus to Bill Belichick and the Patriots (2-8) on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

Belichick refused to name a starting quarterback Tuesday, presumably opting for some gamesmanship rather than definitively choosing between Jones, Zappe and Will Grier.

DeVito could have been in that New England mix; instead, he's in line for his third straight start for the Giants (3-8) with Jones out for the season having torn the ACL in his right knee, and Taylor on injured reserve for at least one more game with a rib cage injury.

What are Giants seeing from Tommy DeVito?

"Confidence," safety Jason Pinnock said. "He’s a confident guy, and it all comes from his preparation. He soaks the game up whether he’s in or out. So, it's just a lot of confidence in that young guy because of how he handles himself as a professional. So, nothing he's doing right now is surprising to a lot of us truthfully, he’s just blessed that the world gets to see it. ... if you're not confident, which comes from your preparation, you’ll have a hard time out there. You’d be second-guessing yourself; you'd probably be a step behind. In this league, the margin of error is way too small to be a step behind."

Daboll has met with DeVito every Thursday morning since the summer, taking the time with his young quarterback to talk situational philosophy and decisions, terminology and the playbook. They also review video, and not just their own team, but some from quarterbacks around the league, highlighting trends.

"He operates well in the pocket, he’s got quick feet, he throws with anticipation and timing and he’s instinctive," Daboll said of DeVito. "He does a good job of seeing defenders and feeling defenses. I don’t think he’s an over-processor, an overthinker. He can make a variety of the throws and he was a good young player to try to work with and develop, and hopefully that we spend a year with him and he gets a little bit better so that maybe he can have something the following year. But things have sped up for him."

DeVito spent Tuesday morning with volunteers at the Meadowlands YMCA packing Thanksgiving meals for the food insecure. Soon after, he drove back to the Giants' facility and was planning to spend most of the day beginning his preparation to play the Patriots.

"I want him to be himself, and everybody’s a little bit different," Daboll said of DeVito, whom Barkley and other teammates have gotten a kick out of because of how much he feeds into the "Jersey boy" profile. That includes DeVito's touchdown celebration with a hand gesture by pinching his fingers together upward while shaking his wrist. It's a playful nod to his family's Italian culture known as "mano a borsa," the finger purse, which has also become a popular emoji.

In the aftermath of Sunday's triumph, his first as a starter, DeVito left the field with Barkley. They were celebrating together, and both Barkley and DeVito punctuated the moment by screaming in unison: "Jersey!"

"I think those guys were really more happy for [DeVito] for how he played," Daboll said. "They know the type of commitment he’s made to them, and to our team, to be as good as he can be for them."

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Tommy DeVito: Saquon Barkley respect is fueling his NY Giants story