Giants’ Tommy DeVito files trademarks for ‘Tommy Cutlets’ and ‘Passing Paisano’

With the unlikely success and sudden fame that New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito has earned, lessons in how to navigate and manage that fame have come for the Cedar Grove, N.J. native and undrafted rookie quarterback. For one, DeVito has learned to make sure he’s directly aware of his off-field matters and not to disrespect a pizza parlor. And he’s also learned to make sure he cashes in and gets his from his emerging persona.

According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, DeVito has filed trademarks for two of his nicknames — “Tommy Cutlets” and the “Passing Paisano” — for the purpose of merchandising and off-field business. The trademarks entail clothing, decals, bobbleheads, Christmas tree ornaments, football equipment, and youth football programs.

Interestingly — and in a fitting Italian twist — the trademark for Tommy Cutlets also entails foodstuffs including pizza, pasta, sauce, chicken and meatballs. The filing also includes energy and sports drinks.

DeVito’s emergence after being thrust into the role of Giants starting quarterback following a torn ACL suffered by Daniel Jones and a rib injury suffered by primary backup Tyrod Taylor has become one of the more entertaining and enjoyable stories of an otherwise lost season in New York, but this week offered a pitfall for DeVito to navigate.

After receiving bad press when there was a dispute between his agent and Coniglio’s Pizzeria in Morristown, N.J. over the cost of an appearance, DeVito took the initiative to make the appearance free of charge on Tuesday before hiring Max Lepselter as his new marketing agent. Sean Stellato, who achieved fame of his own as the fedora-wearing agent accompanying DeVito and his family, remains his football agent.

“Everything you do is under a microscope times a hundred, even more now,” DeVito told reporters on Wednesday. “Anything that happens is going to be in some kind of article somewhere, like how this happened. I’m sure if this happened a month ago, it probably wouldn’t or would not have happened how it did, but it did. Got cleaned up but just continue to be yourself though.”

While nothing is guaranteed for DeVito on the Giants beyond 2024 — general manager Joe Schoen told reporters at the bye week that the team anticipates Jones will again assume starting quarterback duties when he recovers from knee surgery — his representatives are capitalizing on the opportunity to grow his brand both in the Tri-State area and beyond. Speaking to the New York Post, Lepselter said that DeVito has already signed a partnership with Dunkin’ Donuts and is talking to five or seven corporate brands.