EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants took the lead in the third quarter when undrafted rookie and New Jersey native Tommy DeVito rushed for a 6-yard touchdown with 8:59 left in the third quarter against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
DeVito was making his first NFL appearance in place of the injured Tyrod Taylor, who was starting for the injured Daniel Jones (neck). Taylor left the game in the second quarter and was taken to the hospital with a rib injury.
DeVito, a star at Don Bosco High School in Ramsey, New Jersey (20 miles from MetLife), who finished his collegiate career at Illinois, came in with the Giants trailing 7-3. The score remained that way into the third quarter.
On the opening drive of the second half, the Giants drove the length of the field behind the legs of running back Saquon Barkley and some costly Jets penalties. That set the stage for DeVito to fake the handoff to Barkley, keep it and head left through a hole created by tight end Daniel Bellinger and left tackle Justin Pugh and into the end zone.
The score was the first of DeVito’s career and gave the Giants a 10-7 lead.
DeVito did not complete a pass on the touchdown drive, which went 12 plays for 75 yards and included two costly unnecessary roughness penalties on the Jets.
Tommy DeVito’s first NFL TD gives the Giants the lead!
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— NFL (@NFL) October 29, 2023