Tommy DeVito Cashes in on Unlikely Success, Files For Trademarks Hinting at Building a Personal Brand

Tommy Devito has been having his moment in the sun since Daniel Jones left with a season-ending injury. Riding high on his three-game-winning streak for the Giants, and several viral moments for himself, the Giants’ unlikely star has now filed for trademarks banking on his viral persona. Perhaps to make up for all the monetary slack in his undrafted rookie contract.

DeVito’s rise to fame has been marked by spirited discussions about chicken cutlets and his distinctive hand gestures, shining a flashlight on his Italian heritage. Trademark attorney Josh Gerben reported on X (formerly Twitter) that the New York Giants QB has filed for two new trademarks which are “Tommy Cutlets” and “Passing Paisano”. These DeVito’s nicknames given by fans are quite special as they reflect his favorite food and Italian heritage.

Now according to the tweet, the trademark has been done with an intention to sell quality Italian food and clothing. The brand “Tommy Cutlets” would cover different products including clothing, football gear, and even Italian food such as meatballs, pasta, and pizza, along with sauces and drinks. It seems that DeVito is rightly leaning into his Italian persona that fans have come to love.

“Passing Paisano” on the other hand, is more about decals, clothing, and different football-related items. It will also organize charitable events like supporting young people in football and arranging for famous sports celebrities to appear live at those events.

Several weeks ago, the New York Giants shared a video on X featuring Tommy, who was discussing his top 5 pasta dishes and main courses. Among these, he picked penne vodka as his favorite pasta and cutlet as his preferred entree. His love for cutlets has the fans lovingly calling him by the moniker “Tommy Cutlet.”

The Art of Monetising a Viral Persona

The Giants QB Tommy Devito is using every opportunity of his early success to establish a lucrative side business aiming to secure a stable future for himself and his family. The decision to trademark the two names came a few days after DeVito hired a new marketing agent. As per the New York Post, DeVito has brought on board Maxx Lepselter, who serves as the president of Maxx MGMT, to oversee all his marketing activities.

Tommy DeVito seems to be taking a page out of Deion Sanders’ book, he finished his first season as the head coach of the Colorado Buffalo and trademarked his nicknames. Josh Gerben in a post on social media revealed that Sanders has protected his nicknames like “Coach Prime” and “Daddy Buck” to sell merchandise, and household goods, and even offer coaching services.