The Tommy DeVito era appeared to come to an abrupt end for the New York Giants on Christmas Day with the rookie finding himself benched at halftime.
When the Giants came out to start the second half, it was veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor who lined up under center.
Following the game, a 33-25 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles that officially eliminated them from the playoffs, Giants head coach Brian Daboll explained his decision.
“Just tried to spark the team. I don’t really have anything else to add to that. I just did it to try to spark the team,” Daboll told reporters.
The switch from DeVito to Taylor did spark the offense a bit but it wasn’t enough to secure the victory. Now the Giants face two games over the final 13 days of the regular season and neither of them mean a thing outside of draft positioning.
So, who will start for the Giants in those meaningless games? Daboll isn’t saying.
“I’m just worried about tonight here. We’ll talk about that here this week,” Daboll said when asked who would start against the Los Angeles Rams.
Daboll had been insistent that DeVito gave the Giants their best chance to win but that opinion clearly changed on Monday. The waffling isn’t going to help matters — not for DeVito or Taylor and not for the locker room as a whole. Moving away from DeVito could cause some ripple effects that will be further compounded if Daboll goes back to the rookie at this point.
The Giants’ mismanagement of personnel has been a theme all season and outside pressure seems to have added to those issues.
“It’s tough. It’s just a constant reminder that it’s a business,” DeVito said after the game. “They’re always going to try to find someone to replace you, wherever it is. At the same time, it is a business. It’s your job. I respect it. There’s no hard feelings one way or another.”
If his starting job has been lost for the duration, DeVito plans to be a good soldier about it.
“We’re going to work, watch the film, and do all that. At the end of the day, it’s not me or Tyrod’s decision, it’s the coaches,” he said.
With Taylor headed to free agency and unlikely to return, it would behoove the Giants to stick with DeVito but Daboll doesn’t appear committed to that.
