How did Tommy DeVito’s ‘Tommy Cutlets’ nickname come to an end with the Patriots?

DeVito became a Giants fan favorite as his personality, Italian-American roots and family connection helped make “Tommy Cutlets” a beloved nickname.

Tommy DeVito’s time as “Tommy Cutlets” appears to be fading into the past after the Patriots quarterback revealed how he picked up an entirely different nickname in New England.

Origin of DeVito’s famous nickname

New England head coach Mike Vrabel has apparently replaced Tommy DeVito's nickname. (Getty Images via AFP)

DeVito became a fan favorite during his stint with the Giants, where his personality, Italian-American background and family connection helped turn “Tommy Cutlets” into a popular nickname.

The name was linked to his mother, Lexi, who would prepare chicken cutlets for him while he lived with his parents in New Jersey.

The 28-year-old also embraced the nickname himself, along with his trademark Italian hand gesture during celebrations. However, things changed after he joined the Patriots.

Vrabel introduces DeVito’s new moniker

New England head coach Mike Vrabel has apparently replaced “Cutlets” with “Two Chains,” a nickname inspired by the quarterback’s preference for wearing two gold chains, according to a New York Post report.

“’Two Chains’ is doing a nice job,” New England coach Mike Vrabel said Tuesday.

“He, I think, continues to learn and with it being a new system, I think it got his attention a little bit better, as opposed to saying, ‘Hey, I know what this is,’ and kind of taking it for granted. I think he’s really done a nice job,” the Patriots coach elaborated

DeVito reveals ‘Two Chains’ origin

DeVito revealed that the nickname change happened naturally inside the Patriots’ building.

“Originally, he was calling me ‘Cutlets,’” DeVito said. “And then he saw me wearing two gold chains that I always have on, I never take them off, and that turned into ‘Two Chains. That’s how it is throughout the building now,” he explained.

The Patriots quarterback had previously indicated that he appreciated being viewed primarily through the lens of his football rather than his viral persona.

While “Cutlets” may still remain part of his identity, “Two Chains” has now become the name most commonly used around New England.

DeVito’s Patriots role takes shape

DeVito arrived in New England after the Giants moved on from him ahead of the 2025 season. He spent last season as the Patriots’ third-string quarterback behind Drake Maye and Joshua Dobbs and did not appear in a game during the team’s Super Bowl campaign.

With Dobbs no longer on the roster, DeVito is expected to move into the backup role behind Maye this season.