Rick Devens Explains How He Won Big Brother 28
Rick Devens left Big Brother 28 with $810,000, a 6-1 jury win, America’s Favorite Houseguest, and confirmation that volunteering for the block was as stupid as viewers said.
In his interview with John Powell, Devens said he was still “riding this high,” but his best insight concerned time. Survivor is a sprint; Big Brother is a marathon. In the house, he could pitch an idea, let it fail, try again that night and tomorrow, then wear resistance into agreement.
He credited the gym as a private place to think between disasters.
He also learned when not to play. Some days, his best move was being everyone’s friend. That patience let him retreat after damage, rebuild relationships, and wait until the house was ready for more strategic arson.
That worked because his relationships were genuine. Devens loved Rome while targeting him and made the line between affection and strategy clear. Rome, Kamu, Yash, and others could have punished him socially, but did not. Because the wounds stayed impersonal, Devens could reconnect and work with Yash again.
His alliance philosophy helped. Loyalty did not require total disclosure. Allies could keep secrets as long as they were not targeting him. Since Devens kept secrets too, he did not demand a notarized emotional audit. That flexibility helped him forgive Dee’s hidden power and Drew’s occasional weather-vane gameplay.
Then came his confession. Asked about volunteering for the block, Devens replied, “Hubris, dude. Hubris.” He was bored and believed he could pull off the move everyone knows is reckless. He now calls it dumb and recognizes that he survived only because he won the Blockbuster. Postseason interviews revealed nearly everyone wanted him evicted, meaning the master plan was approximately one lost puzzle away from becoming a cautionary montage.
Learning that Dee had seriously considered eliminating him also surprised him. He knew neither Survivor veteran trusted the other to reach the end, but he did not realize how close her thoughts came to action. Rather than feeling betrayed, Devens called it the reason he loved working with her. Dee was a killer, which is an affectionate compliment in reality television and grounds for changing locks anywhere else.
On his final decision, Devens said he believed Taylor would not actually take him. He has since learned Drew would not have taken him either, which makes cutting his “son” sting slightly less. He hated breaking the promise but remains convinced choosing Taylor was the only reason he won.
Devens believes Big Brother forced him to evolve. Without idols to hunt or advantages to invent, he invested in social bonds and became a more balanced player. He could attack, apologize, disappear, and return with another pitch.
As for another show, Powell floated The Amazing Race with Drew. Devens preferred racing with Becca, although he admitted Drew would be a strong partner.
After a summer, that may be the healthiest possible ending: Devens won the money, learned humility, and still plans to ask his wife before adopting another television son.
