David Tyree facts for kids
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Tyree reenacting the Helmet Catch during the Giants Super Bowl XLII victory rally in 2008
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| No. 85, 17 | |||||||
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | January 3, 1980 Livingston, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 206 lb (93 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Montclair (Montclair, New Jersey) | ||||||
| College: | Syracuse | ||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2003 / Round: 6 / Pick: 211 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| As executive: | |||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
David Mikel Tyree (born January 3, 1980) is a former American football player. He was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. Most of his career was with the New York Giants.
Tyree played college football for the Syracuse Orange. The Giants chose him in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL draft. He is most famous for the "Helmet Catch". This amazing catch happened late in Super Bowl XLII. It helped the Giants win one of the biggest upsets in sports history.
In 2005, Tyree was honored as a Pro Bowl player. He was also named first-team All-Pro for his great play on special teams. Even though he was a backup player for much of his career, his "Helmet Catch" made him a legend. He caught a pass by pressing the ball against his helmet. This play helped the Giants take the lead in the final minutes. They defeated the New England Patriots, who had won all 16 regular season games that year.
The "Helmet Catch" was his last catch in the NFL. He retired in 2009 after playing one season with the Baltimore Ravens. After his playing career, Tyree returned to the Giants. He worked as their director of player development from 2014 to 2017.
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Early Life and High School Football
David Tyree was born in Livingston, New Jersey. He grew up in Montclair, New Jersey. He lived with his mother and two older sisters.
He played high school football at Montclair High School. He was a three-year varsity player. He was even chosen as an All-American by Blue Chip Illustrated.
College Football Career
Tyree played college football at Syracuse University. He became 13th on Syracuse's all-time receiving list. He gained 1,214 yards in his career. This included 229 yards against Virginia Tech in 2002.
He was also known as an excellent special teams player. He blocked six punts during his college career.
Professional Football Journey
Playing for the New York Giants
The New York Giants picked David Tyree in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL draft. He was the 211th player chosen overall. With the Giants, he was mostly a backup player. He never caught more than 19 passes in one season.
However, he was very important for his special teams play. He was selected for the Pro Bowl in 2005 because of his skills on special teams. In 2008, Tyree was placed on injured reserve. This happened because of a knee injury he got during training camp. The Giants released him on September 5, 2009.
The Famous Helmet Catch
During the 2007 regular season, Tyree had only four catches for 35 yards. He did not score any touchdowns that year.
But in Super Bowl XLII, Tyree made two very important plays. First, he caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Eli Manning. This was his only touchdown catch of the season. It was also the last touchdown of his career. This score gave the Giants a 10–7 lead late in the game.
Later, with only 1 minute and 15 seconds left, the Giants were losing 14–10. It was third down. Manning escaped a sack and threw the ball 32 yards downfield to Tyree. Manning said the ball "floated" high.
Tyree jumped high and caught the ball with his right hand. He pressed it against his helmet. The New England Patriots' Rodney Harrison was pulling on his arm. Tyree managed to hold onto the ball, even as Harrison tried to take it away. This play became known as the "Helmet Catch".
After the game, Manning told his brother, Peyton, "I told you. He's a gamer." The next day, ESPN SportsCenter called it the greatest play in Super Bowl history. It also won the 2008 ESPY Award for Play of the Year. The catch moved the Giants to the Patriots' 24-yard line. Just 24 seconds and four plays later, Manning threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress. This was the winning touchdown. The final score of Super Bowl XLII was Giants 17, Patriots 14. Tyree dedicated this amazing catch to his mother, Thelma, who had passed away that year.
Time with the Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens signed Tyree on October 13, 2009. He played in ten games for the Ravens. However, he did not have any catches with them.
Retirement from Football
On July 29, 2010, David Tyree signed a special one-day contract with the New York Giants. This allowed him to officially retire from the NFL as a Giant. On February 5, 2012, he watched from the Giants' sideline. His former team beat the Patriots again in Super Bowl XLVI. On July 22, 2014, he became the Director of Player Development for the New York Giants.
Life After Football
David Tyree is married to Leilah. They have seven children together. He is a born-again Christian. He has appeared at Christian concerts like "BattleCry" in 2008 and 2009.
In 2006, he and his wife Leilah started a project called Next In Line. This project helps and guides teenagers in his hometown. He is also a cousin of former basketball player and TV analyst Jay Williams.
See also
In Spanish: David Tyree para niños
- History of the New York Giants (1994–present)
- Black conservatism in the United States
