Former Illini QB Tommy DeVito Signs Two-Year Deal With New England

Former Fighting Illini football quarterback Tommy DeVito is staying in New England. According to several early reports, the Patriots have agreed to a two-year deal with DeVito worth $7.4 million, including $2 million guaranteed. The contract keeps the New Jersey native in Foxborough (MA) after spending the 2025 season as New England’s emergency third stringer. After entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2023, DeVito has continued to grow as a reliable depth option while developing within the Patriots’ quarterback room behind starter Drake Maye and veteran backup Josh Dobbs.

That said, DeVito’s path to this new deal – and professional career in general – has been an interesting one. He originally signed with the New York Giants as a UDFA in late April of 2023 and quickly became one of the league’s most unexpected storylines and interesting characters during his rookie season. Due to struggles with (at the time) starter Daniel Jones following a 2-8 start in 2023, Tommy was quickly trusted with a starting role by then head coach Brian Daboll, where he started multiple games and finished the year completing 145 of 222 passes for 1,358 yards and 8 touchdowns, to only 3 interceptions. His stretch of gritty performances turned him into a fan favorite for his hometown team before roster moves led to his release during the 2025 preseason. New England claimed him shortly after, where he spent last season working behind Maye and Dobbs.

However, it appears Tommy DeVito will be in Foxborough for a while.

Tommy Devito laid the groundwork in Champaign

Before achieving his NFL dreams, DeVito’s lone season in Champaign under then 2nd-year head coach Bret Bielema became a pivotal moment for both his career and the trajectory of the Illinois program. After transferring from Syracuse Orange football ahead of the 2022 season, he brought stability to the offense under (at the time) first year OC Barry Lunney Jr. DeVito completed over 69 percent of his passes for 2,650 yards and 15 touchdowns, helping Illinois win eight regular-season (8-4) games, before dropping a hard-fought 19-10 loss to Mississippi State in the Redbox Bowl. His steady presence helped jumpstart the early momentum of the Bielema era and laid the groundwork for the program’s continued rise in the Big Ten under Luke Altmyer.

Tommy DeVito. New England Patriots. Photo Credit: Tommy DeVito, Instagram. (@tommydevito).

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