The Helmet Catch

Lore & Background

Tyree had been used primarily on special teams and had only 4 receptions for 35 yards and no touchdowns during the 2007 regular season. Although Tyree was seldom used as a receiver during the regular season, he caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Manning with 11:05 left in the fourth quarter, giving the Giants a 10–7 lead. (The Giants' first touchdown of the Super Bowl was a 1-yard run by running back Brandon Jacobs in the second quarter.) On their next drive, the Patriots scored a touchdown on a pass from Tom Brady to Randy Moss to take a 14–10 lead with 2:42 remaining in the game. On their next possession, the Giants faced a 3rd & 5 from their own 44-yard line with 1:15 remaining. On the previous play, Patriots' cornerback Asante Samuel dropped what could have been a game-sealing interception.

In Their Own Story

The cold air inside the RCA Dome felt heavy as Derek Anderson dropped back, scanning a defense that seemed to have him covered. He launched the ball high toward the sideline, a desperate heave into chaos. Josh Cribbs sprinted, eyes locked on the white spiral, his body twisting in mid-air. The collision was brutal, but instinct took over; fingers snapped shut around the leather just as gravity pulled him down. As he hit the turf, helmet rolling free to one side and ball clutched tight in the other, a collective gasp turned into a roar that echoed through the stadium.

Reader's Guide

Manning was given the play call '62 Sail-Y Union' from the Giants' playbook. On third and 5 from the Giants' 44-yard line, Manning took the snap in the shotgun formation and immediately faced pressure from the Patriots defensive ends Richard Seymour, Jarvis Green, and linebacker Adalius Thomas. Green grabbed Manning by the shoulder while Seymour grabbed him by the back of his jersey and attempted to pull him down for a sack. Manning was able to stay on his feet and duck under the arms of the Patriot defenders before scrambling backwards into space at around the 34-yard line. He managed to avoid getting sacked by Mike Vrabel and Junior Seau as he scrambled, then threw a high pass toward the middle of the field just before getting knocked down by Vrabel. Tyree was thrown off his intended route thanks to tight coverage from Ellis Hobbs, and he moved toward the middle of the field. The ball reached the Patriots' 25-yard line, where Tyree was being shadowed by strong safety Rodney Harrison. Both men jumped for the ball, with Tyree getting both hands on it first. Harrison was able to jar the ball loose, but Tyree secured the ball against his helmet using his right hand while keeping his left hand on it; he was able to maintain possession as the two men landed on the playing surface, gaining 32 yards and giving the Giants possession in Patriots territory with :58 remaining in the fourth quarter. Four plays later, Manning would find Plaxico Burress in the end zone to give the Giants a 17-14 lead, and the defense stopped the Patriots on the next series to secure the victory.

Did You Know?

• The play was named by NFL Films as 'The Play of the Decade (2000s)'.
• It was the final catch of Tyree's NFL career.
• NFL Films' Steve Sabol called it 'the greatest play the Super Bowl has ever produced'.
• In 2025, the play was named as the #1 sports moment of the 21st century by The Ringer.