Tommy DeVito and Drew Lock reunite ahead of Super Bowl showdown. [Image Source: TRENTONIAN]
In the summer of 2024, Tommy DeVito and Drew Lock found themselves competing for limited playing opportunities as backup quarterbacks for the New York Giants, with Daniel Jones holding the starting spot. Less than a year and a half later, these former Giants backups are now set to face off on the biggest stage in professional football—the Super Bowl—as members of the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, respectively. The unlikely path that led these two from battling over snaps in training camp to appearing in the NFL’s championship game underscores the unpredictable nature of football careers and highlights Tommy DeVito’s remarkable rise.
A Friendship Forged Amid Competition
Despite their rivalry for the starting job in New York, DeVito and Lock formed a close friendship during their shared season with the Giants. Now teammates on opposing Super Bowl squads, they continue to maintain a strong bond, staying in frequent communication even as the stakes have grown higher. On the way to the Super Bowl opening nightfestivities, the two were seen chatting via FaceTime, exemplifying the genuine camaraderie they built amidst intense competition.
“Me and Drew had a really special relationship,”
DeVito reflected.
“We got really close really fast, and to this day, we talk multiple times a week. It’s been fun.”
Both players acknowledged that had someone predicted their Super Bowl appearance back in late 2024—when Jones was released and their futures uncertain—they would have considered it nearly impossible. Lock admitted,
Image of: Tommy DeVito
“I’d have said slim to no chance,”
while DeVito added,
“I would have said you are crazy.”
Navigating Competition with Support and Respect
Their ability to sustain a positive relationship despite their professional rivalry traces back to guidance from DeVito’s father, who emphasized the unique nature of the quarterback position. Lock explained how DeVito’s father advised that quarterbacks can’t afford to carry grudges against one another since only one can play at a time, making mutual respect essential.
“Tommy will quote his dad on this: Quarterbacks can’t have beef with each other,”
Lock said.
“It’s not our decision who plays. Whatever happens happens. But we have to be boys, we have to be tight. There is only one of us out there and we have to have each other’s backs.”
This philosophy helped build a strong bond within the backup room, where DeVito and Lock spent more time together than with the starter, deepening their friendship throughout a challenging season.
“That started very, very early for that room, especially me and Tommy being the backups together. You get a little more time with each other than the starter out there. It’s a great relationship, a great friendship that will carry on forever.”
DeVito described how their friendship actually grew stronger through the ups and downs as they alternated starting roles during the turbulent closing months of 2024.
“Thank God we had that friendship and relationship to help each other throughout those situations,”
While still with the Giants in training camp earlier in 2024, DeVito also formed a close relationship with rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart. Though DeVito was waived before the season began, he has remained supportive and proud of Dart’s progress, who emerged as a finalist for Offensive Rookie of the Year during his debut season.
“He played with that chip on his shoulder like I knew he was going to,”
DeVito said.
“He is a tough, competitive dude. Like everybody else in that organization, I was trying to help him out and keep him out of you know where [the blue medical tent] and on the field as much as possible.”
DeVito recalled a vivid moment during the Giants’ game against the Patriots, where he gave Dart a friendly warning to avoid the sidelines before a particularly hard hit from Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss left Dart in a difficult position.
“I gave him a heads-up before the game to get out of bounds when he was on the sideline,”
DeVito said with a laugh.
“He chose to do what he chose to do.”
Overall, DeVito expressed confidence in Dart’s promising future.
“I think he had a very solid year,”
DeVito commented.
“He knows there is room for improvement from Year 1 to Year 2 and I am looking forward to seeing what he does.”
Competing and Teammates: The Super Bowl Connection
Now wearing Patriots colors, DeVito is teammates with quarterback Drake Maye, who led the Seahawks to the Super Bowl. Looking ahead, DeVito refrains from predicting that Dart will bring the Giants to the Super Bowl but acknowledges the quarterback’s ability to give his team a fighting chance every game.
“I’m not going to say he will bring them there,”
DeVito commented.
“But I will say he gives them a chance in any game that they play in. That’s the most important thing when you play quarterback.”
Maintaining Bonds Amidst Rivalry and Change
As the Super Bowl approaches, DeVito and Lock hoped to reunite at the league’s opening night in San Jose, California, but schedules prevented the meeting. They remain committed to keeping in touch and intend to connect properly around game day. Both are also active participants in group chats with former Giants quarterback coach Shea Tierney and other teammates from their difficult 2024 season, continuing to support one another beyond the field.
“We have group chats with [former Giants quarterback coach] Shea Tierney, all the guys who were in that room, [fellow backup] Tim Boyle,”
DeVito said.
“We just talk.”
Lock provides DeVito advice on navigating team changes—a challenge the latter has experienced multiple times—and teases him about his TV commercials for backup quarterback insurance, to which Lock wishes he had his own endorsement deal.
“Hopefully they give me a call. We’ll see. I don’t know what else I can do for it.”
Lock joked.
The Stakes of the Super Bowl and Beyond
After an unpredictable journey marked by competition, friendship, and perseverance, both Tommy DeVito and Drew Lock are poised to compete for a Super Bowl ring—an achievement few expected when they were fighting for the Giants’ backup role in 2024. Despite likely limited roles on game day, their presence symbolizes the resilience and opportunity in the NFL.
Approaching the biggest game of their careers, DeVito summed up their mindset simply:
