Transcript: Quarterback Tommy DeVito

Quarterback Tommy DeVito

Q. Kind of let everything soak in, settle down a little bit, how are you feeling about last week and moving forward?

A: Bittersweet. I felt better as the game went on. In the second half I think the offense did a better job executing but it was too late at that point. But I think we ended off on a good note and we are carrying some of that energy going into practice this week.

Q. When you watch the film of yourself what did you see, what did you take away from and what would you like to improve on?

A: That one interception stands out to me the most. Again, was just trying to be a little too aggressive. Just got to see that guy, get down to another option that I have. We had a good run play before that, so try to just keep staying in the positive and don't have any negative plays.

Q. What was your reaction to your dad's viral moment there in the stands on that fourth down play?

A: I come from his bloodline and his flesh and blood; I understand frustration. I mean, I don't know. Everybody I'm assuming was frustrated when you don't convert it. If you would've converted it, it would've been no issues with anybody, regardless of if that's my father or anybody else in the stands. I know how it goes – but that's just part of the game.

Q. Are you still allowing yourself to kind of bring in some of that from the outside? From your family and friends and the reaction to this. I imagine they must feel like this is a wild ride that you are on here. Do you talk to them about it?

A: About my experience as far as what?

Q. Just the how whole thing, starting, you're with the Giants…

A: Yeah, they are here with me. Like I said, I stay at home, clearly, as everybody knows now, (laughs) right? I mean I live in a small town, everybody, you won't go somewhere without seeing somebody you know. It's just all the support is unreal and yeah, they live in the moment with me.

Q. Did you know you made People Magazine for that story?

A: I did not, but I do now. I'm not surprised at that though.

Q. People and Us, I believe. I saw it…

A: I'm not surprised at this point; I've seen a lot of things and a lot of people have posted a whole bunch of stuff about it, but I mean it is what it is at this point. I'm just saving money.

Q. Have you wandered into your favorite bagel store or something in Cedar Grove and had that experience or have you kind stayed from all that?

A: I've kind of stayed away a little bit. I mean, certain things I'll go around but yeah, no, nothing too crazy.

Q. What have teammates said to you about either your performance or encouragement or anything like that?

A: Yeah, just keep being that ball of energy and just keep having that competitive confidence about myself just to help keep the offense going. Especially when we are in, if you want to call it some kind of drought or whatever you want to call it, just not playing up to the standard that we want to at all times throughout the game. Just keep trying, just keep everybody upbeat and that's for myself too.

Q. What's that relationship like with the receivers in particular? Receivers obviously want to get the football…

A: Oh, I want to throw it to them, too. But, hey, we've just got to do our job right? Our one-eleventh. Whatever play is called, we've got to execute it. If there is a pass play called, we need to execute it to the fullest. That's the linemen blocking for me and for me to get the ball out and then if it's the run game, it's the receivers blocking for the running back, so everybody just has to do their job, but I understand it. Everybody is competitors, everybody wants the ball, I'm kind of a little biased with that because I touch it every play, but I understand it, 100%.

Q. What do you make of getting the opportunity to get more starts? To get another start here and presumably more than that.

A: Yeah, just try to go out and make the most of every play, every opportunity that I get and just try to showcase what I can do.

Q. What did the last drive last week the way your team played it, calling the timeouts, the game was decided. What did that mean to you? The way it worked out, the way they were trying to get you in the end zone.

A: Yeah, it was about pride and just having some kind – I don't want to say good feeling at the end, but really just showing a positive throughout the game because you know there were positives throughout the game, there wasn't so many. The negatives kind of overbear the positive, but just to go out with that and just have that kind of feeling that like, we are right there with some of these drives, you put one play here, one play there, one detail here, one detail there, that drive can turn into multiple drives in the end that like. I think that kind of just put that feeling in everybody going out that like we need to start off that way.

Q. How are you feeling? Like your shoulder.

A: Good, yeah, I'm all good.

Q. Do you recall what play it was?

A: What play?

Q. You banged up your shoulder….

A: I don't. It was in the fourth quarter, but I don't really remember what exact play it was.

Q. Who are you typically leaning on? You don't have (quarterback) Daniel (Jones) out there, you don't have (quarterback) Tyrod (Taylor) out there or maybe they are on the sideline but who do you lean in the huddle to keep calm and keep focused and what not?

A: The offensive line for sure. Whether it be (guard Justin) Pugh or (guard) Ben (Bredeson), those two guys that have been here for a while, I just kind of lean on those guys and then all of my skill positions around me.

Q. And what have they told you out there?

A: Just be yourself, that's it, stay calm, here we go, and Pugh is a big, 'break the huddle guy.' So, it's 'all we have to do is break the huddle and we're going to be good from there' so, he brings that positive spirit and energy towards us, so I appreciate him for that.

Q. Big part of being the starting quarterback is also being the leader. Just curious, how has that been for you? Are you allowing yourself to be more vocal? Are you allowing yourself to be the guy to lead this offense as well?

A: Yeah, just doing the same thing I've done since I was 5-6 years old, in the same huddle, acting the same as I was, just having that competitive edge about me.

Q. Daniel just walked by as you were talking. Have you had much communication with him?

A: Yeah, he's in all the meetings, he's at the walkthroughs, we watch film together, all that. He's very involved.

Q. What has (Head Coach Brian Daboll) Dabs said to you about, in general, being the starter and taking advantage of this opportunity? Kind of like what he expects from you moving forward here.

A: Just to be myself and do what I've been doing since I got here. Just get better every day and continue to go out and do what I've done to get to this point. Be better all around.

Q. What's it mean to you that he's been very supportive of you?

A: I mean, I appreciate it. I tried to earn that throughout OTA's, camp and throughout the preseason. I'm going to continue to try to do that and try to live up to that standard and exceed that standard.

Q. Do you feel like the game is starting to slow down for you?

A: Yeah, for sure. I think it happened in the Raiders game. The second half of the Raiders game is when it really slowed down but like I said, I feel good. Every week, every snap, everything that gets under my belt, it's all positives.

Q. None of us really know you well – but do you beat yourself up after a certain play or when you watch back a certain play? How do you internalize your performance?

A: Not in the moment. In the moment, I'm very like, 'on to the next,' I'm pretty quick with it. After I'm home, I'm always my toughest critic. I will beat myself up over a play for a while after that but then I'm like – I flush hit after that. But I'll sit there and I'm like, 'Tommy, what are you doing?' or like 'you need to do this, you need to do that,' but I'm always the hardest on myself so when I come in here and get the coaching, I'm able to have an even keel mind and just listen to it and accept it and be able to grow from it.

Q. On the pick we're you sitting there like, 'I was too aggressive' or 'I didn't see this' or what?

A: A little bit of both, yeah. Actually, it was exactly that. Being aggressive and as well as not seeing him as well as I should have seen him. That's just a mistake that I'm going to get cleaned up. I'll be able to see that.

Q. How did the younger version of you envision this day? Or did you? Did you think that one day you'd start for an NFL team when you were younger and how did that unfold in your head?

A: I mean, you always play the scenario out when you're a little kid. I was probably five years old; I was probably doing that. Acting like, when I was playing with my friends in the backyard like that was playing in the NFL so I wouldn't say that changed too much. You understand that there's a business side of it and it's not so much fun and all that as you were when you were five years old. Even though I think that it's something that I try to bring to part of this offense and this team. It's just like 'you need to have fun with it. Don't let anybody else take your joy.' It's a lot of negatives going on the outside. Maybe not you guys specifically but media in general, it's a lot of negativities going on with how our seasons been going. Just enjoy it, you're in the NFL, you're, whatever it is, below one percent. Just enjoy the moment, be here, enjoy playing football for your job and just go out and give it all you have.

Q. Was it this team and this stadium where you thought of that?

A: No, it wasn't. I was a Steelers fan growing up, so it was probably for the Steelers (laughs).

Q. You said you were playing for pride at the end of the game. Just the way the game started; do you guys carry that into this week? Just a lot of anger or an increased level of focus that just these last seven games, we can not let this season go the way that last game went…

A: Yeah, I mean, we want to start off faster. I think that's pretty clear that we need to put up points on offense, especially in the first quarter, first half, whatever it was. Just don't let it get too late in the game how it did last week.