Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito shows up at the NJ restaurant after a fuss over rumors that he doubled his $10,000 fee
A dispute over a fee almost caused the New York Giants quarterback or Italian American star to cancel his visit to a New Jersey pizza shop, but he showed up as planned to try pizza and talk to fans. Even better, writer Darren Rovell says he did it for free.
On Tuesday, DeVito was at Coniglio’s Old Fashioned in Morristown, New Jersey, to watch the owner, Nino Coniglio, work behind the bar.
It’s a scene which almost didn’t happen because Coniglio and DeVito’s lawyer, Sean Stellato, argued online and threatened to cancel the show.
On Sunday, Coniglio wrote on Instagram that Stellato twice an agreed-upon $10,000 appearing charge after DeVito led New York to a big win over the Green Bay Packers on Monday night. It was DeVito’s third straight win as a starter for the Giants.
Stellato focused a lot on the relationship between DeVito and the Italian American community in New York and New Jersey because it was an evening game.
“After last week’s win, we received word to his agent that his show fee would be rising (from $10,000 to $20,000); we’re a small family-run business and decided $20,000 had been a bit steep for 2 hours,” wrote Coniglio.
As the post came to a close, Coniglio said it again: DeVito and Stellato had broken a deal. “We’re Italian too along with don’t like a person that says one thing or does another,” Coniglio said.
With a message to Rovell, Stellato told Coniglio that the two of them had never signed a contract.
After Stellato’s answer, Coniglio sent his own message to Rovell, along with a picture of a text message which he says proves Stellato consented to the terms he mentioned.
It was a huge mess that could have ruined DeVito’s rise from an unknown youngster who wasn’t picked in the draft to a winning quarterback to earn the New York Giants.
In the end, DeVito met some fans in person and ate what looked including a tasty lunch. His image stayed clean.
Plus, Coniglio gained a lot more advertising than he expected for a very low price. Everything looks like it went well for everyone.
Giants player Tommy DeVito issued an apology to the New Jersey pizza place that was left scrambling as his agent supposedly quadrupled his fee for an autograph signing that had already been set up.
To make things right, DeVito went to the pizzeria on Tuesday to eat with Nino Coniglio, the owner, and his family. He will go back to the restaurant in January and work behind the bar and sign items.
“A lot was going on at that time, and different people on my team were doing different things.” The New York Post says that he has even put the agent Sean Stellato on the outside.
Some things got missed, and as soon as I found out about it (on Monday, when it hit my phone), I thought, “We need to go in there, greet him face-to-face, make things right, eat the great pizza, and have fun,” DeVito said.