The Patriots' quarterback room has a new member. As first reported by NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, New England has claimed Tommy DeVito off waivers from the New York Giants.
The Patriots just got a good look at DeVito, as he shredded their backups in last week's preseason finale while leading the Giants to a 42-10 victory. DeVito finished 17-of-20 passing for 198 yards and three touchdowns.
Despite that performance, the Giants elected to move on from the cult hero affectionately known as "Tommy Cutlets" since they already had Russell Wilson, Jaxson Dart and Jameis Winston in their QB room.
The Patriots, meanwhile, had waived Ben Wooldridge, who played the entirety of that preseason finale. Their initial 53-man roster Tuesday afternoon had just two quarterbacks: Drake Maye and Joshua Dobbs. DeVito now joins as the new third QB, with a chance to challenge Dobbs for the backup job behind Maye.
DeVito, 27, became a fan favorite in New York in 2023 when he rose from undrafted free agent to starting QB following injuries to Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor. He led the Giants to three straight wins in the middle of the season, including a 10-7 win over the Patriots, all while living at his parents' house in New Jersey. His "Tommy Cutlets" nickname emerged when he revealed that his mom's chicken cutlets were his favorite meal.
DeVito, who played his college football at Syracuse and then Illinois, ultimately started six games in 2023 and two more in 2024, but struggled to recapture the magic of that initial three-week run.
The Patriots had an open roster spot Wednesday after waiving wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, who had reportedly requested his release after a potential trade with the Minnesota Vikings fell through.