David Tyree
David Mikel Tyree (born January 3, 1980) is an American former football wide receiver and executive who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons, primarily with the New York Giants. He played college football at Syracuse University and was selected by the Giants in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL draft. Tyree is best known for the Helmet Catch, a late-game reception in Super Bowl XLII that helped New York secure one of the greatest sports upsets of all time.
Tyree reenacting the Helmet Catch during the Giants Super Bowl XLII victory rally in 2008 | |||||||
| No. 85, 17 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | January 3, 1980 Livingston, New Jersey, U.S. | ||||||
| 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 | |||||||
| As a player: | |||||||
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| As an executive: | |||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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| Player stats at NFL.com · PFR | |||||||
Tyree earned Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors in 2005 as a special teams player, but was utilized as a backup for most of his career. Nevertheless, Tyree earned recognition during the Giants' last drive in Super Bowl XLII when he caught a third down pass by pressing the ball against his helmet. Through his reception, the Giants were able to take the lead during the game's final minutes and defeat a New England Patriots team that was the first to win all 16 regular season games. The catch would also be his last and he retired in 2009 after one season with the Baltimore Ravens. Following the conclusion of his playing career, Tyree rejoined the Giants as their director of player development, holding the position from 2014 to 2017.