Tommy DeVito touchdown celebration, explained: How Giants QB's viral hand gesture celebrates Italian heritage

Bryan Murphy

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Tommy DeVito touchdown celebration, explained: How Giants QB's viral hand gesture celebrates Italian heritage image

You don't need to access Ancestry.com to figure out Tommy Devito's heritage. The Giants quarterback looks like an Italian, has a name that sounds Italian and hails from New Jersey — known for, you guessed it, its large Italian-American population. 

But in case you needed any more proof of DeVito's background, look no further than his touchdown celebrations. 

The New York signal-caller is back under center for Brian Daboll's team after the Giants elected to bench, and then subsequently cut starter Daniel Jones. DeVito is getting another crack after making his debut in 2023, passing over Drew Lock for the starting role. 

MORE: Who is Tommy DeVito? What to know about Giants new starting QB

HIs signature celebration debuted in last year, and it has become synonymous with the quarterback. Here is more to know about the viral hand gesture from DeVito:

Tommy DeVito touchdown celebration hand gesture

DeVito debuted the Italian touchdown celebration during his rookie season in 2023. After a touchdown pass in a game against the Commanders, the quarterback put his hand up in the air, pinching his fingers together. 

DeVito was asked about the celebration after the Commanders game, and he credited his Italian heritage as inspiration. 

"I kind of thought it was just the old Italians," DeVito said. "When they talk, they start doing this. It’s just a little credit to them."

The Giants QB said the idea came from Giants assistant athletic trainer Phil Buzzerio.

"He mentioned it to me a couple of weeks ago," DeVito said. "I was like, 'All right, I’ll roll with it one of these days,' and he was like, 'This is the week!' All right, I did it, and then it kind of took off from there."

Italians are known for using their hands when speaking. In fact, sometimes the hands are doing more talking than their mouths.

When it comes to the pinched hands together, it is often used when one person is trying to understand what someone else is saying. There are a number of Italian phrases that can be paired with the motion, including "Ma che vuoi?" or "Ma cosa vuoi?" ("What do you want?"), and "Ma cosa stai dicendo?" ("What are you talking about?")

DeVito was asked what the exact name of the finger motion was after the victory against New England, but all the quarterback had for an answer was the a sound and the hand movement. 

"There is no word for it," DeVito said. "I don't think there's a word for it."

It's the perfect celebration for a player with DeVito's background. And you can argue that there is no better team for it in the league than the New Jersey-based Giants. 

Bryan Murphy

Bryan Murphy Photo

Bryan Murphy joined The Sporting News in 2022 as the NHL/Canada content producer. Previously he worked for NBC Sports on their national news desk reporting on breaking news for the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL, in addition to covering the 2020 and 2022 Olympic Games. A graduate of Quinnipiac University, he spent time in college as a beat reporter covering the men’s ice hockey team.