‘We’re very proud of our Italian heritage,’ says Tommy DeVito’s agent after viral NFL moment
By Ben Church and Abby Phillip, CNN
(CNN) — While rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito was stealing the show with his performance on the field, his agent Sean Stellato was grabbing all the headlines off it.
Donned in an elegant black pinstripe suit and sporting a matching fedora, Stellato’s brief appearance went viral on Monday ahead of the New York Giants’ win against the Green Bay Packers.
The sharply dressed agent was seen standing next to his client while speaking on the phone, sparking fascination across the world: who was this man? And who was he talking to?
“We are trying to get a deal done and it was supposed to happen earlier in the day,” Stellato revealed to CNN’s Abby Phillip on Tuesday, adding he was making an offer they couldn’t refuse.
“And I have a ritual when I’m on the road, I talk to my five-year-old daughter before bed so there were actually two calls being made.”
DeVito, who has earned the nickname “Tommy Cutlets” courtesy of the popular Italian American staple, has certainly embraced his Italian heritage since rising to prominence this season.
Social media is awash with “The Sopranos” and “Goodfellas” comparisons, so it seemed fitting that his agent looked as if he had just stepped off the set of a Godfather film.
“He looks like Johnny Fontane,” legendary quarterback Peyton Manning said on Monday’s Manningcast, referencing a character from the Godfather series.
“We’re very proud of our Italian heritage, we’re very proud of our roots,” Stellato said, before explaining the inspiration behind the outfit.
“Let’s face it, the wind was blowing that night and I thought it was the perfect night for a fedora. I’m superstitious and the last time I wore the suit was draft day, the time before that my quarterback two years before had the greatest east-west performance in the history of the game.
“I just felt it was Monday Night Football, you had to bring out that tough look. We were going up against a tough Packers team, but we have a little fun with it and I’m so proud of my client to do what he did.”
Stellato had every right to be proud after DeVito masterminded a game-winning drive to inspire the Giants to a 24-22 victory on Monday.
In total, he threw for 158 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. It was a performance that saw the 25-year-old named NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
It was perhaps the best moment so far in the undrafted rookie’s heartwarming rise to the top of the NFL.
Local boy DeVito still lives at home with his parents, his mom still makes his bed and he entered the league as a largely unheralded prospect.
“He’s really close with his mom,” Stellato added.
“Most Italian mothers want their kids to stay in the house at least until they’re 35. He’s comfortable there. Look, he doesn’t have to pay for rent. Financially, it’s a smart move.”
Stellato and DeVito will be inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame on Friday in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, the organization said in a news release. DeVito is the recipient of the Rookie of the Year Award, the news release said.
The National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame – which started as the Italian American Boxing Hall of Fame as a way to raise money for a struggling local Catholic youth program – has seen star-studded events and inductees including former Yankee Joe DiMaggio, and the posthumous induction of famed coach Vince Lombardi.
CNN has reached out to Stellato about the honor for himself and his client.
‘Local boy makes good’
Members of his family joined Stellato in the stadium for Monday’s win, triggering yet another viral moment.
DeVito’s dad could be seen kissing Stellato on his cheek when celebrating his son’s success, before the agent returned the gift.
The pair also performed the now-customary, vaguely Italian celebration with their fingers pinched.
“I’m a reciprocator and I figured it would only be proper to give him a kiss back, but he did break the ice. He gave me a big smooch,” Stellato joked.
“We Italians, we talk with our hands, we hug, we kiss, we love our fashion and our fine dining, so there was a lot of emotion and a lot of excitement.
“Being able to experience it with such a special family was the icing on the cake, but it was a special moment.”
Stellato is going to be a very busy man in the coming weeks with DeVito one of the hottest marketing prospects in US sport at the moment.
The agent, though, says DeVito is very particular about which companies he’ll align himself with, reassuring that the quarterback has not forgotten where he came from.
“It’s local boy makes good. He’s playing for his hometown team and what he’s doing is just unbelievable for all the people in New Jersey, all the people in New York and all the Giants fans,” Stellato added.
“He’s the poster child for the underdog.”
CNN’s Kristina Sgueglia contributed to this report.
The-CNN-Wire
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