The New York Giants quarterback is showing people that there’s nothing wrong with continuing to live with your parents, even as an NFL player.
On Sunday 12 November, Tommy DeVito started his career as the third string quarterback for the Giants against the Dallas Cowboys as the starting quarterback, Daniel Jones, and the backup signal caller, Tyrod Taylor, were recovering from injuries. Speaking with ESPN, the rookie admitted that he still lives with his parents.
“It was a no-brainer for me,” DeVito told the outlet about living with his parents. “Everything that I need is there at the house. The decision was made since this level of football is stressful for a rookie, especially from the quarterback position. There is a lot going on, a lot of meetings. So everything outside of football is handled by my family.”
DeVito’s hometown is in Cedar Grove, New Jersey, which is only a 12-minute drive to the team’s practice facility. Prior to Jones and Taylor’s injuries, he was an undrafted free agent who only started the football season on the team’s practice squad. DeVito was only added to the active roster just over one week ago.
He continued: “I don’t have to worry about laundry, what I’m eating for dinner, chicken cutlets and all that is waiting for me when I get there. My mom still makes my bed. Everything is handled for me. Honestly, I don’t even know if I could find a place closer to here than where I live. It takes me 12 minutes to get here.”
After DeVito shared that he was a 25-year-old still living at home, ESPN went on to ask his fellow teammates what they thought of the news, with many Giants’ players revealing that they had no idea.
Running back Saquon Barkley was so confused by the concept of “living at home” he had to ask the outlet who DeVito was living at home with. When the outlet told him that he was living with his parents, Barkley’s only response was “for real?” as he began laughing.
Another teammate of his, offensive lineman Justin Pugh, explained that out of the 11 seasons he’s been playing in the NFL, he couldn’t think of one player who’s lived at home with his parents. But he wasn’t against the concept overall.
“That is the greatest. You know what, smart!” Pugh said to ESPN. “Saving his money. Genius! That’s the one thing I’d say from a financial standpoint. Your mom helping with your wash, making sure you’re up on time, no distractions, unbelievable.”
Aside from his teammates, NFL fans also reacted to the news, with many using it as a joke to explain Sunday’s 49-17 loss to the Cowboys. “Tommy Devito better get real comfortable at his mom’s house because with how he’s playing right now he isn’t moving out any time soon,” one person joked on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Tommy Devito is going to get tucked into bed by his mom after getting sacked 47 times by the Dallas Cowboys tomorrow night,” another person joked on the platform.
Others joked about the concept as a whole, with one person writing in a tweet: “Tommy DeVito sleeping at home, having his mom make his bed and commuting to his job as an NFL quarterback is the premise of a late ‘90s Adam Sandler movie.”
