Former Syracuse QB Suddenly Back In New York Starting Buzz

Tommy DeVito could be on the brink of returning to the NFL spotlight as fans and experts speculate a potential shift in the New York Giants' quarterback lineup.

Syracuse and Giants fans had a familiar name on their minds Monday night after the New York quarterback situation took another turn.

The Los Angeles Rams rolled past the Giants 28-6 to close out the Week 2 NFL slate, but the headline moment came much earlier. Jaxon Dart left in the first quarter with a knee injury, and the injury is going to keep him out for the rest of the season.

Jameis Winston took over, but his relief work didn’t calm the conversation. Instead, it sparked a fresh wave of calls for former Syracuse quarterback Tommy DeVito to get another shot in New York.

DeVito is now with the New England Patriots, where he backs up Drake Maye. Still, his name quickly resurfaced among fans who remember what he meant to the Giants and, before that, what he did at Syracuse.

The 27-year-old spent four seasons at Syracuse from 2018 to 2021, then used the extra year granted by the NCAA after the COVID-19 pandemic to finish his college career at Illinois in 2022. At Syracuse, he passed for 3,866 yards with 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. At Illinois, he completed 69.6% of his throws, the best mark in the Big Ten, while throwing for 2,650 yards, 13 touchdowns and four interceptions.

After college, DeVito went undrafted and signed with the Giants as an unrestricted free agent. He became a fan favorite there, helped in part by his New Jersey roots through Don Bosco Prep and the nickname “Tommy Cutlets,” which caught on with Giants supporters.

His most recent start came on Nov. 24, 2024, when he was in a 30-7 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Before the 2025 season, the Patriots claimed him off waivers.

That’s where the online chatter picked up after Dart’s injury and Winston’s rough night. One fan, Dakota, wrote, "I wonder if #NEPats would be open to trading Tommy Devito to the @Giants - the price should be a 3rd maybe 4th"

Another post from JFC was even more direct: "Jameis Winston is completely washed. He has looked terrified since his 1st series of the game.

Giants need to tell him it’s over and find a backup who can play. I’d take Tommy Devito over him!"

As for whether New England would even consider moving him, the answer is yes in theory. Maye is the reigning MVP runner-up and has the starting job as long as he stays healthy. But the NFL rarely stays tidy for long, and through two weeks already, several teams - the Seahawks, Giants, Bears, Vikings and Falcons - have had to turn to backup quarterbacks.

Syracuse is on a bye the weekend of Sept. 27 and won’t play again until Oct. 3, when it faces UConn in East Hartford, CT. Kickoff is set for 12:00 p.m.

ET. UConn enters that game at 2-1 and plays Miami (Ohio) this Saturday.

In Other News...

Syracuse Fans Are Finally Seeing A Different Approach From Leadership

For the past six months, Syracuse University Chancellor Mike Haynie and athletic director Bryan Blair have been showing up in places that matter to Orange fans, from tailgates to community events, as part of a broader push to understand what the athletics program needs and how it should feel to the people around it. It is a noticeable change in style, and one that has been built through direct engagement rather than from a distance.

Haynie and Blair laid out that vision in a joint interview on the "Syracuse Sports" podcast, using the platform to talk through the culture change they want to foster across Syracuse athletics. For a fan base that has spent years wanting to feel more connected to the people in charge, the new approach is at least a meaningful signal that leadership sees the relationship as part of the job, not just a backdrop to it. [Read more 🡒]

Syracuse Bye Week Just Made Its Quarterback Debate Impossible To Ignore

Syracuse heads into its bye week carrying a quarterback question that got a lot louder after the loss to Pitt. Senior Steve Angeli has been the steady hand, but his latest outing was uneven, with just 52% of his passes completed and two interceptions, a rough turn for an offense that needed cleaner play. Meanwhile, backup Amari Odom, the Kennesaw State transfer, flashed enough in limited work to at least make the conversation feel real instead of theoretical.

Now the staff has a week to sort through a decision that can shape the rest of the season. The Orange do not have the luxury of ignoring the position after a game like that, and the bye gives them time to weigh experience against upside, stability against a possible spark. Whether they stay with Angeli or turn to Odom, the choice will say plenty about how Syracuse wants to navigate what comes next. [Read more 🡒]

Syracuse Moved The Ball Vs Pitt But One Problem Kept Showing Up

Syracuse moved the ball well enough against Pitt to create real optimism on offense, especially in the first half, but the scoreboard never reflected all that activity. Penalties, missed passes and missed field goals kept turning promising possessions into empty ones, and the Orange settled for just 10 points despite spending plenty of time in Pitt territory.

Ahmad Miller gave Syracuse a steady ground presence after halftime, but the same theme kept surfacing whenever the Orange looked ready to take control. Missed chances and interceptions helped sink drives that had already crossed into Pitt territory, leaving Syracuse with four trips deep into Pitt end without points and another reminder that execution, not movement, was the issue. [Read more 🡒]