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Jenna Laine, ESPN Staff Writer
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got back into the win column for the first time since Oct. 13 on Sunday, complete with a “Double Tommy” celebration from quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Mayfield said his end zone celebration during the Bucs’ 30-7 victory at MetLife Stadium was a “tribute” to New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito.
With 20 seconds to go in the first half, Mayfield scrambled up the middle and hurdled Giants cornerback Cor’Dale Flott into the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown. He then shot up, raised both arms into the air, curled his fingers and pumped his arms wildly towards the fans in a move that has become a signature of DeVito’s and a nod to his Italian heritage.
“It was a tribute. A tribute to Tommy,” Mayfield, who swore it was unplanned, said with a deadpanned expression. “He’s a good dude.”
Added Mayfield: “Most of the time, I don’t know what I’m gonna do so … spontaneous stuff. New York fans love Tommy here, so give ’em something they like.”
Mayfield was then asked if he, too, was Italian.
“I haven’t done a 23andme but I don’t know,” he deadpanned.
DeVito said he was unaware of Mayfield’s celebration until he was informed after the game.
“They were having a good game. They celebrated,” DeVito said. “It is what it is. Kind of happened last year. It’s going to happen I guess.”
Mayfield suffered a stinger in the game after colliding with multiple teammates while trying to recover a fourth-quarter fumble. It required him to visit the blue injury tent but did not force him to miss a down.
“Just kind of an awkward little — not tackle — but diving in for the ball,” Mayfield said. “Feel good though.”
Mayfield said he and DeVito met briefly in Las Vegas at the Super Bowl this past year.
“He had his chain blinged out, swag, walking through the casino. It was awesome,” Mayfield said. “It was like a movie scene, honestly. … He’s got that swag man.”
Mayfield’s teammates loved the move.
“I didn’t know he was gonna do that,” said Irving, who rushed for 87 yards on 12 carries with a touchdown and tacked on 64 receiving yards. “I mean, he got in there and then pretty much did it, and we were all happy for him.”
“Baker, he just invigorates the entire team,” cornerback Zyon McCollum added. “All the stuff he does — that was a crazy play, him jumping in there like that, hurdling a guy. He’s more slippery than you anticipate. But having a quarterback who has passion like that and grit like that … we all feed off of it.”
The Giants, however, didn’t find the humor in Mayfield’s celebration.
“That’s what happens when you lose,” Giants receiver Darius Slayton said after the game. “When you lose, you allow people to do stuff like that.”
Bucs coach Todd Bowles said he didn’t see Mayfield’s celebration but praised his starting quarterback, who completed 24-of-30 passes for 294 passing yards. Mayfield’s rushing touchdown was one of four on the ground by the Bucs.
“He did a heck of a job,” Bowles said. “Baker just plays ball. He loves playing ball. He had some great scrambles. He bought some time. He made some runs. He played a heck of a ball game.”
ESPN’s Jordan Raanan contributed to this report.
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