Giants bench Tommy DeVito for Tyrod Taylor, ending DeVitomania

National Football League

Published Dec. 27, 2023 12:56 p.m. ET

The Giants are no longer serving “Tommy Cutlets” at quarterback.

Tommy DeVito has been benched in favor of Tyrod Taylor for the Giants’ Week 17 matchup against the Rams (1 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app), coach Brian Daboll told reporters Wednesday.

Daboll’s decision comes after he benched DeVito at halftime of the Giants’ Christmas Day loss to the Eagles. New York nearly came back from a 20-3 deficit before falling 33-25.

“I thought [Taylor] did some good things in the second half of Philly, so he earned the right to start this game,” Daboll explained. “Getting ready for the Rams. Really have nothing else to add on it. That’s where we’re at.”

DeVito became a local icon and a league-wide sensation prior to struggling in his last two outings. The undrafted rookie led a previously 2-8 Giants team to three straight wins shortly after becoming the team’s starting quarterback. Each victory was an upset as well, with the Cedar Grove, New Jersey, native throwing for 592 yards, five touchdowns and zero interceptions over that stretch.

But DeVito’s numbers took a massive hit though over the last two games, completing just 58 percent of his passes for 232 yards as the Giants offense failed to score a touchdown in his last six quarters of play.

Taylor helped give the Giants’ sputtering offense a spark Monday, even if he wasn’t fully responsible for all three of their second-half touchdowns. The Giants recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff of the second half, running Saquon Barkley three times in a row before he found the end zone. New York added a pick-six later in the third quarter to cut Philadelphia’s lead to 20-18.

Taylor made some plays, however, late in the game. He completed a 69-yard touchdown pass to Darius Slayton that cut back into the Eagles’ lead. He also drove the Giants to the Eagles’ 26-yard line on the game’s final drive before throwing an interception on a Hail Mary. He finished the game by completing seven of 15 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown, adding 21 rushing yards on a pair of scrambles.

Sunday will mark the fourth time Taylor will start in a game this season. He previously filled in when Daniel Jones had a neck injury before Taylor suffered a rib injury, forcing the veteran backup to be placed on injured reserve for several weeks. DeVito emerged during that time, with Taylor serving as the team’s backup upon his return in Week 14.

The Giants went 1-2 in Taylor’s three previous starts this season. He has completed 61.7 percent of his passes for 725 yards, three touchdowns and an interception with an 87.2 passer rating over nine appearances this season, adding 119 rushing yards.

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