EAST RUTHERFORD - Tommy DeVito sat in the MetLife Stadium parking lot two summers ago and Bill Belichick was on the other end of his cell phone, trying to pitch him on joining the New England Patriots' practice squad with a chance to earn his way to the active roster and more.
DeVito went with his gut and despite overtures from the greatest coach of all time the pride of Cedar Grove stayed with the New York Giants, joining their practice squad instead.
The rest is history in a two-year-plus fantasy that unfolded for the now 27-year-old quarterback who not only earned his place in the NFL - he became a fan favorite and emerged as a feel-good story in times of frustration, angst and disappointment for the franchise he somehow wound up representing at its lowest in years.