Rick Devens Explains How His Survivor Loss Paved the Way for His Big Brother Victory
Rick Devens learned valuable life lessons after his two defeats on Survivor—and he put all of them into practice to secure his victory on Big Brother.
“I think my experiences on Survivor played a significant role,” Devens, 42, shared exclusively with Us about his win after the Big Brother season 28 finale on Thursday, October 1. “Often, I followed my instincts, and Survivor offers more room for creativity.”
Devens reflected, “Perhaps I focused too much on hiding idols during Tribal Council and unearthing hidden immunity idols instead of strengthening my social and strategic gameplay. In the Big Brother house, I dedicated significant effort to building these relationships.”
The former news anchor emphasized that his strong connections within the Big Brother house allowed him to play the game on his own terms.
“When I recognized that something wasn’t going to work—like when I realized I couldn’t persuade someone—I just went ahead and did it anyway because I had all week. I thought I might as well keep trying,” he explained. “Many times, by the end, my allies ended up doing what I wanted, and it was amazing. So I think my experience, stubbornness, and the willingness to accept failure were exactly what I needed to win the game.”
While Devens feels that winning the second Head of Household competition set him up nicely at the beginning of the season, he believes his true strength lay in managing his emotions—a challenge he faced less effectively during his time on the islands.
“I really managed to suppress my feelings in this game more than I ever did on Survivor,” he stated to Us. “It’s incredibly difficult to turn off your emotions when you’re under the stars in Fiji—there’s a connection to the world. In contrast, this house was sterile, and I needed to disregard the fact that I was away from my family throughout the summer. I focused completely on the game and became much more ruthless.”
Devens, who was exceedingly loyal on Survivor, made a complete turnaround in the Big Brother house, where he didn’t hesitate to make tough decisions.
“I had to eliminate people I genuinely cared about, starting with Rome [Seymour]. Then I turned on Yash [Patel] and bid farewell to Kamu [Kirk], both of whom I valued,” he recalled. “I was able to make those tough decisions that perhaps I wouldn’t have made on Survivor. Ultimately, it led me to victory.”
Devens not only won Big Brother 28 and claimed the $750,000 prize, but he also earned the prestigious title of America’s Favorite Player, which added another $50,000 to his winnings.
“I feel great about it. I believe I can partially attribute that to Survivor. I entered the competition as a somewhat known entity,” he said regarding winning America’s vote. “This season of Big Brother featured some fantastic houseguests whom I admire, and they’re all my favorites. I’m grateful that what was portrayed at home resonated well because I aimed to have fun and never took things personally.”
Devens credited his wife, Becca, and their children, Jack and Juju, along with ally and fellow Survivor veteran Dee Valladares, for keeping him grounded throughout the nearly three-month experience.
“I was away from my family for a much longer period during Big Brother than I ever was during Survivor,” he confessed. “If I focused on how painful that experience was, it would have overwhelmed me. So, I managed to compartmentalize those feelings and shut them off, which helped me do the same with the rest of the game. I think Dee was a good bad influence because she’s a strong player and able to compartmentalize in a similar way. We motivated each other, and she was an incredible ally in the game.”
Devens also recognized his wife, Becca, saying that without her, he wouldn’t have stepped into the Big Brother house at all.
“I consider myself the luckiest guy ever. Those three give me strength in everything,” he expressed about his family. “I had their support to participate in the show. It never would have happened without Becca. I was ready to decline, but she encouraged me, saying, ‘What? You have to do this. This is your only opportunity.’”
