Tommy Devito Salary How Much Does He Make

Wondering how much Tommy DeVito makes? You are not alone. The New York Giants quarterback became a fan favorite during the 2023 season, and his fast rise made many people curious about his salary, bonuses, and what an undrafted NFL player really takes home. In this guide, we will break down everything in simple terms: how NFL pay works, Tommy DeVito’s contract structure, what practice squad versus active roster pay looks like, and how taxes, agents, and bonuses factor into the numbers. By the end, you will have a clear picture of what “Tommy Cutlets” likely earns and how that compares across the league.

Introduction: Why Tommy DeVito’s Salary Is a Hot Topic

Tommy DeVito’s story captured attention because it shows how quickly fortunes can change in the NFL. He went from undrafted rookie and practice squad player to starting quarterback in one season. When a player jumps that fast, the money side gets interesting too. How much did he earn during that breakout stretch? How do those numbers change if he’s a backup or on the practice squad? And what might his future earnings look like if he sticks on a 53-man roster or wins a bigger role?

This article explains the basics in plain English. We will focus on the 2023 and 2024 seasons, use the league’s standard pay rules as the foundation, and walk through realistic scenarios to estimate what DeVito makes. Because contract details for undrafted players are often light on guarantees and heavy on weekly pay, understanding the weekly system is key.

Who Is Tommy DeVito? A Quick Background

Tommy DeVito is a quarterback who played college football at Syracuse and Illinois. He went undrafted in 2023 but signed with the New York Giants as a rookie free agent. Injuries to the Giants’ quarterbacks created an opportunity, and DeVito stepped in. His energetic playing style and local ties helped him become a fan favorite. That sudden rise from practice squad to starting QB is rare—and it changes the math on earnings, because NFL players are paid based on roster status each week.

How NFL Players Get Paid: The Basics You Need to Know

NFL pay is more complicated than a simple annual salary. Several pieces fit together to create a player’s total earnings in any season. For undrafted players like DeVito, here’s the standard setup:

Base Salary (Paid Weekly During the Season)

Each player has a base salary tied to the league’s minimums or their negotiated number. The NFL regular season runs 18 weeks (including the bye week), and base salary is paid as 1/18th per week. If a player is on the active 53-man roster or certain reserve lists that week, they receive that week’s “game check.” If they are on the practice squad, they do not earn their base salary for that week.

Practice Squad Pay (A Different Weekly Rate)

Practice squad (PS) players earn a separate weekly rate set by the collective bargaining agreement. These rates are lower than active roster weekly pay. For players with two or fewer accrued seasons (most rookies and second-year players), there’s a minimum rate per week. In 2023, that minimum was around $12,000 per week. In 2024, it rose modestly to around $12,500 per week. Veterans on a practice squad can make more than that.

Signing Bonus and Guarantees

Undrafted free agents often receive a small signing bonus, usually in the low five figures. These are often the only guaranteed dollars in their deals. Base salaries for UDFAs usually are not guaranteed, which means the player only earns them when they are actually on the 53-man roster and paid by the week.

Incentives and Playoff Shares

Some contracts include incentives tied to playing time or statistics, though undrafted rookie deals tend to be simple. Players also receive postseason shares if their team makes the playoffs. These are set by the NFL and are paid per round, with higher shares in later rounds. They are nice add-ons but depend on the team’s success.

Tommy DeVito’s Contract Structure: The Standard Undrafted Plan

When DeVito signed with the Giants in 2023, it was a typical undrafted rookie agreement. These deals usually cover three seasons and align with the league’s minimum salary schedule for those years. The important part is that very little is guaranteed beyond the small signing bonus. Instead, pay is “per week” based on roster status.

Estimated Base Salary Schedule

Undrafted rookies commonly have base salaries in line with the league minimums. While exact figures can vary slightly, a standard three-year UDFA deal around DeVito’s timeline likely looked roughly like this:

– 2023 base: about $750,000 (pro-rated by week on the 53-man roster)
– 2024 base: about $915,000 (if on the 53-man roster for those weeks)
– 2025 base: around the low $1 million range (again, paid only for weeks on the 53)

Remember: those are not guaranteed. A player only earns the weekly portion for the weeks they are on the active roster. If they are on the practice squad, they earn the practice squad weekly rate instead.

2023: How Much Did Tommy DeVito Make?

In 2023, DeVito started the season on the practice squad. Later, he was elevated and then signed to the active roster as the Giants battled injuries. That mix of practice squad weeks and active roster weeks defines his total 2023 earnings.

Practice Squad Weeks

During practice squad weeks, DeVito likely earned around $12,000 per week in 2023 as a non-vested player. If a player spends, for example, six to nine weeks on the practice squad, that could total roughly $72,000 to $108,000 for that period. The exact count depends on how many weeks he was officially on the practice squad rather than the 53.

Active Roster Weeks

Active roster weeks trigger the base-salary game checks. For a rookie at about $750,000 in 2023, the weekly pay is roughly $41,700 per week (that is $750,000 divided by 18). If DeVito was on the 53-man roster for, say, eight to ten weeks, that part would be around $333,000 to $417,000 before taxes and fees.

Elevations and Game Check Swings

There is a wrinkle: a practice squad player can be “elevated” to the active roster for a game without being permanently signed to the 53. On elevation weeks, players receive more than their normal practice squad rate to reflect active-status pay for that game, then they can revert back to the practice squad after the game. In a season like DeVito’s, with multiple elevations and then a full promotion, the weekly amounts can vary from week to week. The big picture, though, still follows the same idea: practice squad weeks pay the lower PS rate; active weeks pay the higher base-salary rate.

Putting the 2023 Estimate Together

Because the exact week-by-week roster status determines the total, public estimates for DeVito’s 2023 cash earnings generally land in the low-to-mid six figures. A reasonable range for his 2023 season, combining practice squad time and his stretch on the 53-man roster, is several hundred thousand dollars before taxes and fees. The exact total depends on how many weeks he was elevated, how many weeks he was on the 53, and any modest bonuses.

2024: What Does Tommy DeVito Make If He’s on the Roster All Year?

For 2024, the picture is clearer in terms of base numbers. If DeVito spends the full season on the 53-man roster, he earns the second-year minimum base tied to his deal—roughly $915,000—paid as weekly game checks. That is about $50,800 per week for each of the 18 regular-season weeks. If he is on the practice squad for some or all of the season, he would instead earn the 2024 practice squad weekly rate (around $12,500 per week for non-vested players). If he splits time between practice squad and active roster, his total will be a blend of those two weekly rates.

Scenario 1: Full Season on the 53-Man Roster

– Base cash earnings: about $915,000 before taxes and deductions.
– No per-game roster bonuses are assumed here unless added to his specific deal (UDFA contracts often keep it simple).
– Potential add-ons: small workout bonuses if included in his contract (not always present) and possible playoff shares if the team advances to postseason.

Scenario 2: A Split Between Practice Squad and Active Roster

– Example split: 8 weeks practice squad + 10 weeks active roster.
– Practice squad portion: about 8 × $12,500 = $100,000 (estimate).
– Active roster portion: about 10 × $50,800 = $508,000 (estimate).
– Total estimate: around $608,000 before taxes and fees.

Scenario 3: Mostly Practice Squad

– If a player spends the whole year on the practice squad: 18 weeks × ~$12,500 ≈ $225,000 (estimate).
– This is a common range for non-vested practice squad players in a full season.

How Game Checks Actually Work

Every week of the regular season, a player’s pay is determined by their status that week. Being on the 53-man roster generates a much larger game check than the practice squad rate. If a player moves up and down during the season, each week is calculated separately. This makes forecasting earnings tricky until the season is complete.

Per-Week Example Numbers

– 2023 rookie base: ~$750,000 per year → ~$41,700 per week on the 53.
– 2024 second-year base: ~$915,000 per year → ~$50,800 per week on the 53.
– Practice squad (non-vested): roughly $12,000 per week in 2023; roughly $12,500 per week in 2024.

These figures give you quick math tools to estimate any player’s earnings based on weekly status.

What About Playoff Money?

Playoff shares are separate from base salary and practice squad pay. The NFL sets flat amounts for each round. Players typically receive a share if they are on the roster for the game week (specific rules can vary). These bonuses increase in later rounds and peak at the Super Bowl, where winners receive significantly more than earlier rounds.

Because postseason pay depends on team success, it is not guaranteed. For a player like DeVito, playoff money would be a meaningful bonus, but it is not the core of his yearly income. His main earnings come from whether he is on the practice squad or the 53-man roster week to week.

Endorsements, Appearances, and Off-Field Earnings

After his 2023 rise, DeVito became a recognizable name. That can lead to local endorsements, autograph signings, or paid appearances. These amounts vary widely and are often much smaller than NFL salaries. Still, for players on minimum deals, off-field opportunities can add a helpful boost to annual earnings. The exact off-field income for any player is private unless reported, but for a breakout story in a major market like New York, it is reasonable to assume some supplemental income from appearances or partnerships.

Taxes, Fees, and What “Take-Home” Really Means

Fans often see the headline amount and think that is what a player takes home. The reality is very different. NFL players pay federal taxes, state income taxes (which can be high in places like New York or New Jersey), and sometimes city taxes, plus agent fees and union dues. They also face “jock tax” rules when playing in multiple states, which splits tax liability among states where games occur.

Common Deductions

– Federal income tax: typically a large portion of earnings, at top brackets for many players.
– State and local taxes: New York and New Jersey have meaningful rates compared to many states.
– Agent fees: usually around 1% to 3% for NFL player contracts (endorsement deals may have separate rates).
– NFLPA dues: a few thousand dollars per year, plus small per diem-style charges for preseason.
– Offseason training, housing, and other professional expenses: variable and often significant, especially in high-cost markets.

When you account for all of this, take-home pay can be much lower than the gross numbers. For a minimum-salary player living and playing in the New York market, it is common to see a meaningful reduction once taxes and costs are included.

Comparing DeVito’s Salary to Other NFL Quarterbacks

Quarterback salaries in the NFL span a huge range. On one end, elite starters can earn $40–$60 million per year on top-tier contracts. On the other end, backups and developmental QBs often earn at or near league minimums, especially in their first few seasons.

League-Minimum and Near-Minimum QBs

Many young or late-round/undrafted quarterbacks spend time on practice squads or as third-stringers. These players often make between $200,000 and $1 million per year depending on how much time they are on the 53-man roster. DeVito’s situation fits in this category for now. His earnings are strongly tied to weekly roster status, not big guarantees.

Established Backups

Veteran backups who have proven they can hold down games can earn $2–$6 million per year, sometimes more, especially if they have starting experience. If DeVito develops and becomes a trusted long-term backup, he could move into this earnings tier in future years.

Starters

Consistent starters with strong track records sign multi-year deals with large guarantees, big signing bonuses, and significant annual salaries. Those contracts are a different world from undrafted rookie deals. Whether any young quarterback climbs to that level depends on performance, opportunity, and team fit over multiple seasons.

The Practice Squad vs. Active Roster Difference in Real Life

For players like DeVito, the practice squad vs. active roster difference is massive week to week. One active week at roughly $50,800 (2024 minimum) equals about four weeks of practice squad pay for a non-vested player. That’s why even a few weeks on the 53 can meaningfully change a player’s annual earnings.

Why Teams Move Players Up and Down

Teams manage injuries, matchups, and roster flexibility all season. Elevations allow teams to fill short-term needs without permanently changing the 53. For the player, it can be a chance to prove they belong. For earnings, those elevated weeks are valuable because they pay closer to active roster rates (or trigger a game check at the active rate), even if the player returns to the practice squad after the game.

How Guarantees (or Lack of Them) Matter

Undrafted free agents usually get very small guarantees, often only a modest signing bonus. If a player is cut, there is no more base salary owed. That’s the trade-off: a chance to make the team and earn weekly checks versus the risk of not being on a roster. For DeVito, earning a longer stretch on the 53 in 2023 not only increased his pay that year, it also boosted his visibility and potential future opportunities.

What Happens If He Wins a Bigger Role?

If DeVito secures a permanent backup role and remains on the 53-man roster all season, his pay stabilizes at or above the league minimum. If he eventually wins a starting competition or shines in extended action, he could negotiate better deals in future years, either with the Giants or another team. Quarterbacks who show they can operate an NFL offense—even as backups—usually find jobs and can raise their earnings significantly compared with minimum deals.

Simple Examples: Estimating DeVito’s Pay

Let’s run through clean, beginner-friendly examples. These are not exact figures, but they show how the math works:

Example A: Half Practice Squad, Half Active in 2024

– 9 weeks practice squad at ~$12,500 = ~$112,500.
– 9 weeks active roster at ~$50,800 = ~$457,200.
– Estimated total before taxes/fees: ~$569,700.

Example B: Full Season Active Roster in 2024

– 18 weeks active at ~$50,800 = ~$915,000.
– Estimated total before taxes/fees: ~$915,000 (plus any small bonuses if applicable).

Example C: Full Season Practice Squad in 2024

– 18 weeks practice squad at ~$12,500 = ~$225,000.
– Estimated total before taxes/fees: ~$225,000.

Cost of Living and Lifestyle Factors

New York and New Jersey are high-cost areas. Housing, transportation, meals, and training costs can be significant. Young players often need to budget carefully, especially if their status is week to week. Being on a minimum or near-minimum deal means that take-home pay, after taxes and expenses, may be much less than fans expect from the raw numbers.

How to Verify Salary Information

Public salary sites track base salaries, roster moves, and bonuses as teams report them. For undrafted players, not every detail (such as small workout bonuses or weekly elevations) is always public immediately. The best way to verify is to combine:

– Official team transaction logs (to see practice squad vs. roster weeks).
– Credible salary databases that track base numbers and contract structures.
– Postseason share announcements and league releases for playoff money.

Because weekly status can change late in the week, even reputable sources may update totals after the season ends.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Tommy DeVito’s salary guaranteed?

Most of it is not. Undrafted players usually have minimal guarantees, often only a small signing bonus. Base salary is paid week to week for weeks on the active roster. Practice squad pay is separate and only for weeks on the practice squad.

How much did he make in 2023?

He made a mix of practice squad pay and active roster game checks. While the exact total depends on the specific weeks he was on each status, a reasonable estimate is in the low-to-mid six figures before taxes and fees.

How much could he make in 2024?

If he spends the entire season on the active roster, around $915,000 before taxes and fees. If he splits time or remains on the practice squad, it would be less, based on the weekly rates explained above.

Does he get paid in the offseason?

Base salary is typically paid during the regular season (18 weeks). Offseason pay can include small workout bonuses if included in the contract, per diems at team programs, and signing bonus proration for accounting purposes. But the large checks are during the season.

Do players get paid for preseason games?

Yes, players receive a set per-diem and preseason compensation structure, but it is much smaller than regular-season pay. It is not the same as the weekly base salary.

What’s the difference between a “credited season” and years in the league?

A credited season relates to benefits and minimum salary escalators and is earned by being on full pay status for a certain number of games in a season. It affects minimum salary tiers in future years.

The Big Picture: Where DeVito Stands Now

As of the 2023–2024 window, Tommy DeVito is in the “prove it” phase typical for undrafted players who flash potential. His earnings so far have been tied to weekly status. The more time he spends on the 53-man roster, the larger his checks. If he solidifies a long-term backup role, his pay could rise into the multi-million-dollar range in future seasons, like many experienced No. 2 quarterbacks. If he returns to the practice squad, he still earns a solid living by general standards, but far below the star QB tier.

Why This Story Resonates

Fans love the underdog story, and DeVito’s path is exactly that. It also reveals how NFL money works outside the headlines. Not every player is on a massive contract. Many are on minimum deals and have to earn their spot each week. When a player like DeVito breaks through, the difference in weekly pay is dramatic, and it makes his story financially meaningful as well as fun on the field.

Key Takeaways: Tommy DeVito’s Salary, Simplified

– In 2023, DeVito earned a mix of practice squad pay and active roster game checks; total earnings likely landed in the low-to-mid six figures before taxes and fees.
– In 2024, if he is on the 53-man roster all season, he would earn about $915,000 before taxes and fees; practice squad weeks pay far less (around $12,500 per week).
– Off-field earnings, like endorsements or appearances, can add some income but are usually smaller than on-field pay at this stage.
– Taxes, agent fees, and living costs reduce take-home pay significantly, especially in the New York market.
– His future earnings depend on role: practice squad, depth quarterback, steady backup, or potential starter—all very different income paths.

Conclusion

So, how much does Tommy DeVito make? The honest answer is: it depends on the week. In 2023, he combined practice squad checks with a stretch on the 53-man roster, likely finishing in the low-to-mid six figures before taxes and fees. In 2024, if he spends the whole year on the active roster, his pay would be around $915,000; if he splits time or sticks to the practice squad, he would earn less, based on those weekly rates.

This is the reality for many undrafted and young quarterbacks. Their earnings can swing widely from one season to the next, driven by opportunity, performance, and roster needs. DeVito’s breakout made the math more exciting—and if he continues to develop into a reliable backup or more, his pay could climb into multi-million-dollar territory in future years. For now, his income follows the NFL’s week-to-week system, making every roster move matter not just for his career, but for his paycheck.