Sean Stellato, sports agent for New England Patriots quarterback Tommy DeVito poses for a photo before an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints. (AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman)
SALEM, MA — Sean Stellato was enjoying a slight calm amid what he called a "roller coaster, hurricane, nor'easter" couple of days around the National Football League roster cutdown day as the Salem player agent sat with his wife, Krista, for lunch at Derby Wharf on their 20th wedding anniversary, when he got the news that sent him into a spontaneous seaside celebration.
One of his prime clients — quarterback Tommy "Cutlets" DeVito — had landed with the New England Patriots after being claimed off waivers from the New York Giants.
"The magic of Salem struck again," Stellato told Patch in a phone interview on Wednesday night. "That was exciting. My wife has a funny video that she got of my reaction. We might win an award for acting.
"I was fired up."
DeVito, who gained his nickname based on his and his parents' Italian celebration of his triumphs during 12 game appearances with the Giants over two seasons, was released by the Giants during Tuesday's roster cutdown.
Stellato said he spent the entire day — well past midnight — on the phone with teams as he lobbied for DeVito and his other clients to find new NFL homes. Then he said he was right back at it on Wednesday morning, leading to the 1 p.m. announcement of which teams had won the waiver claims on which players.
About one year to the day after Sean Stellato Day was declared in the Witch City in honor of the former Witches star athlete, Division 1 quarterback and Salem High Athletic Hall of Famer, Stellato was once again able to bask in the hometown sun as the first of hundreds of text messages came rolling in about DeVito coming to New England.
"Being here having (clients) who won 14 Super Bowls on those Patriots teams was really special," he said. "Now having a chance to revisit that and have a client in a situation where he can come in here, as I guess the third quarterback right now, but with a chance to develop and bring as much as he can to the field and to the locker room, and do it in the Patriot Way.
"I must have had 300 texts from people about it today."
DeVito and Stellato gained a cult following nationwide starting in 2023 when DeVito made the first of what would be eight starts in Giant blue as the family touchdown celebrations — often with the dashingly dressed Stellato on the sideline or nearby in the luxury box — made for viral video gold.
Stellato told Patch that Wednesday was a "little brother" version of that excitement with DeVito's next NFL chance coming in the shadow of his agent's hometown.
"He gets to join such a storied organization that has had tremendous success over two decades, winning all those Super Bowls," Stellato said. "I am excited. You have Coach (Mike) Vrabel there now and you have (Offensive Coordinator) Josh McDaniels, who was so pivotal to Tom Brady's success. I know Tommy is going to go in there and learn the playbook, get into the competition, and bring whatever he can for the team to be successful."
DeVito completed 65.3 percent of his passes for 1,358 yards with eight touchdowns and three interceptions in 12 game appearances with the Giants over two seasons.
He lit up the Patriots in the final preseason game of the season last week when he threw for three touchdowns in a 42-10 victory that included mostly reserve players on both sides. He was 30 of 38 overall this exhibition season with four touchdowns and 323 yards passing.
The 27-year-old DeVito likely slots in as New England's third-string quarterback behind Drake Maye and veteran backup Joshua Dobbs.
Giants General Manager Joe Schoen told the New York media on Wednesday that the Giants had hoped to bring DeVito back on the practice squad even after releasing him on Tuesday.
"We would've loved to have him back but he was claimed," Schoen said. "Wish him nothing but the best."
Vrabel declined to discuss the most recent personnel moves during his Wednesday news conference.
"I think we'll confirm all those things later on," Vrabel said. "We put a claim in for a couple of guys and I would say that — just strengthening the roster, certainly, at a premium position."
DeVito said being able to enjoy the moment in Salem made it all the more special for him and his wife, whom he called "my greatest cheerleader and one of my greatest cheerleaders."
"Salem and I have such a deep connection," he said. "They gave me that day last year. I have such a deep appreciation for the city and I am very grateful for everything it has given me."
_(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott\_Souza.)_
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