Tag: super bowl xlii

Giants’ win in Super Bowl XLII named one of best upsets of all-time

The New York Giants’ defeat of the then-perfect New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII has been named the second-best upset in NFL history.

In 2007, the New England Patriots were perfect. They compiled a 16-0 regular season record, including a Week 17 victory over the New York Giants, and entered Super Bowl XLII with a record of 18-0.

The game itself, in the eyes of many, was little more than a formality. How could the perfect Patriots fall to the very much imperfect Giants?

As the saying goes, that’s why they play the game.

If that Super Bowl were played 100 times, the Giants may only win once. But fate was on their side and that day was the once.

Despite being 12-point underdogs, the Giants took it to the Patriots from the opening kickoff to the final snap. It was a legendary back-and-forth contest largely dominated by defense. The game also featured the greatest play in Giants franchise history — David Tyree’s helmet catch.

Although improbable, the Giants stood tall in the end. David had beaten Goliath and Pro Football Network recently named that Super Bowl XLII victory the second-best upset in NFL history.

Brady finished his career with an NFL-record seven Super Bowl titles, but he could’ve had one more had the Patriots been able to hang on against the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII.

No team has ever posted a better point differential (+315) than the 2007 Patriots. All but four of their regular-season victories came by more than one score.

Brady won his first MVP award after setting the league on fire with a then-record 50 touchdown passes. Offseason trade acquisition Randy Moss set an NFL record of his own, hauling in 23 TD catches for a mark that still stands.

But when it mattered most, New England scored just 14 points while being upset by the Giants. Leading by four points with 1:15 remaining, the Patriots allowed David Tyree’s improbably “helmet catch,” then let fellow New York wideout Plaxico Burress find the end zone for a game-winning touchdown.

Although the ’07 Patriots will go down as one of the greatest teams in league history, their inability to win the final game will always hold them back in the record books.

It’s hard to imagine the Giants will ever win another game that elicits such emotion and pride from their fans. For those who experienced it, nothing in the football world could ever be sweeter.

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‘Helmet catch’ voted best play in Giants history

The “helmet catch” by David Tyree has been voted the best play in the 100-year history of the New York Giants.

The New York Giants held their “Giants 100: A Night With Legends” at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night to celebrate their century-long history as an NFL franchise.

One of the features was revealing the greatest play in the team’s history. No surprise here as David Tyree’s “helmet catch” in Super Bowl XLII was the runaway winner.

The play was voted tops over many other signature moments including: Victor Cruz’s 99-yard touchdown catch and run against the Jets in 2011; the Eli Manning-to-Mario Manningham “down the sideline” connection in Super Bowl XLVI and Odell Beckham Jr.’s one-handed touchdown catch on Sunday Night Football in 2014.

Tyree was on hand for the festivities on Thursday night and commented on his catch being voted tops in the team’s history.

The man who threw the pass, future Hall of Famer Eli Manning, waxed comical when describing the play.

Forever a classic.

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Patrick Mahomes: Giants’ Super Bowl XLII win is one of two greatest moments in football history

Patrick Mahomes believes the New York Giants beating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII is one of the greatest moments in football history.

Patrick Mahomes knows a few things about winning Super Bowls. The Kansas City Chiefs’ star quarterback has played in four of the last five big games, winning three, and collecting three MVP awards along the way.

So, what does Mahomes consider the greatest moment in football history?

In a recent interview, Mahomes mentioned two games: the New York Giants’ 17-14 victory over the previously unbeaten New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII in February 2008, along with the Patriots’ historic comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons nine years later.

“I don’t want to start taking shots. And the one they lost with the Giants when (David Tyree) caught the ball in the helmet,” Mahomes said in a recent appearance on Logan Paul’s “Impaulsive” podcast, via ClutchPoints.

“Just because that Giants team was like barely made the playoffs and then they make a run and they are huge underdogs and they end up beating probably the best — even though that they didn’t win the Super Bowl — probably the best football team of all time and that Patriots team that ends up losing that Super Bowl.”

The Patriots had just completed the league’s first — and only — 16-0 regular season and then won their two playoff games to advance to 18-0.

They would not get to 19-0. The Giants, a 12.5-point underdog who ran the table in the NFC playoffs with three wins on the road, were supposed to play patsy to Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and New England.

Instead, the Giants ended up playing the biggest spoiler in NFL history with a devastating pass rush that flustered Brady along with some help from the football gods.

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Giants beating Tom Brady in Super Bowl XLII may have prolonged his career

In a new book, it’s revealed that Tom Brady may have retired earlier had he defeated the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII. But he didn’t.

Retired NFL legend and future Pro Football Hall of Famer, Tom Brady, has never hidden his frustrations over losing Super Bowl XLII.

Throughout the years, Brady has lamented that loss and even suggested he’d trade several of his other Super Bowl rings for that victory if he could. Missing out on the chance to go undefeated has haunted him.

Back in 2019, Brady apparently admitted that his career would have played out much differently if he were able to beat the New York Giants that day.

In the new book, Religion of Sports: Navigating the Trials of Life Through the Games We Love by Gotham Chopra and Joe Levin, it’s revealed that Brady would have considered earlier retirement if the Pats were victorious in Super Bowl XLII.

“Had we won that game, I don’t know,” Brady told Chopra in 2019. “I’m not a big hypothetical guy, but maybe the desire is a little bit different.

“If you’re looking at a silver lining, maybe the desire to reach that point, maybe I would’ve been fulfilled not to stop playing at that time, but I don’t know. Maybe I’d play another seven or eight years and I’m fulfilled.”

Brady’s decision to continue playing as long as he did — even retiring and then unretiring in 2022 — positively impacted his legacy but also took a toll on his personal life.

When his cleats finally were hung up, Brady had won seven Super Bowl titles — more than any other franchise. He is undeniably the greatest quarterback of all time and it seems like he has the Giants to thank for that.

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Giants’ John Mara reflects on Super Bowl XLII

New York Giants co-owner John Mara reflects on Super Bowl XLII: “That to me was a dream come true.”

It’s hard to believe it’s been 15 years since the New York Giants knocked off the New England Patriots, 17-14, in Super Bowl XLII, ending the Pats’ quest to become the first team to go 19-0 in an NFL season.

The Giants won the Super Bowl again four years later, beating New England again, but went in the tank after that, qualifying for the playoffs just once (2016) before finally getting there again this year.

Giants co-owner John Mara recalled in a recent interview the team’s odyssey of winning four postseason games on the road to secure the Lombardi Trophy. The Giants came into the Super Bowl on a 10-game road winning streak.

“(That) was something that gave me a little added sense of confidence,” Mara said, via Giants.com. “We’ve got something going here. We’re winning on the road. And I know that they believe they can win. So, that gave me a little bit more confidence with that, particularly when it appeared Plaxico wasn’t going to be able to play in the game.”

The week before the Super Bowl, Mara said he was nervous that star wide receiver Plaxico Burress might not play due to ankle and knee issues. His replacement, David Tyree, was not instilling confidence in practice that week in practice, dropping several passes.

“I felt sick watching that, thinking, ‘How are we going to beat these guys without Plaxico if David’s having these kinds of problems?'” Mara said. “I was at every practice that week. And I can’t say that I felt overly confident after that.”

We know how the game turned out. Tyree not only made one of the most important and improbable catches in Super Bowl history, but he also had a five-yard touchdown catch. Burress battled through his injuries to make the game-winning reception.

Quarterback Eli Manning somehow avoided a certain sack to hurl a prayer down the middle of the field in Tyree’s direction. Tyree, as you can recall, trapped the ball against his helmet and the Giants went on to score the go-ahead touchdown and win the game.

“To break out of it was something that Eli was not really known for, to say the least,” Mara said. “The fact that he got out of that and was able to make that throw is still amazing to me. It looked like he was down, and I remember thinking, ‘It’s going to be fourth down.’ It’s pretty bleak. It would’ve been fourth-and-long against this defense. But he gets out of it and wings it. It’s stuff that legends are made of.

“I couldn’t believe that he caught it. I’m saying, ‘hurry up, let’s get the next play off.’ And then you’re looking at the replay like, ‘my God, he did catch it.’ It’s still amazing to me that he was able to hold onto the ball. He’s got (Patriots safety) Rodney Harrison trying to get it away from him — one of the best defensive players ever. It’s just an amazing play. Once that happens, now you’re thinking, ‘they’re not going to stop us now.'”

And they didn’t. The Giants, who were 12-and-a-half-point underdogs, became unlikely champions.

Mara finally got to live out his lifelong dream of having the commissioner hand him the Lombardi Trophy.

“That to me was a dream come true,” he said. “Being handed that, that was pretty cool. It was a pretty cool moment in my life.”

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Tom Coughlin talks new book, Super Bowl XLII in 1-on-1 with Giants Wire

Tom Coughlin sits down with Giants Wire to discuss his new book, Super Bowl XLII, the Jay Fund Foundation and much, much more.

Legendary New York Giants head coach and two-time Super Bowl champion, Tom Coughlin, is releasing his newest book next week. And t former Giants head coach sat down with Giants Wire to talk about it — and many other things..

The book, titled “A Giant Win: Inside the New York Giants’ Historic Upset over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII,” breaks down Super Bowl XLII and parts of the season that led up what Coughlin calls “the greatest underdog Super Bowl victory in history.”

The book gives Giants fans the angle from the coach’s point of view and goes through some details that most Big Blue fans don’t know and other facts that fans may have forgotten about.

Coughlin is also very proud of his work done through his foundation “The Jay Fund” which he also reflected on during the interview.

The book will be released on December 6 and it is one any Giants fan will want to pickup.

See it: Rodney Harrison relives David Tyree’s Super Bowl XLII catch

Retired Patriots great Rodney Harrison stopped by the Hall of Fame recently and had to relive David Tyree’s Super Bowl XLII catch.

One of the greatest plays in NFL history came in Super Bowl XLII when New York Giants wide receiver David Tyree trapped an Eli Manning pass against his helmet in the fourth quarter to keep the game-winning drive alive.

The Giants beat the New England Patriots that night in Arizona, 17-14, winning the Super Bowl and ending the Patriots’ quest to become the first team to finish a season 19-0.

The Giants played as well as they could have hoped in that game, keeping the explosive Patriots’ offense and quarterback Tom Brady at bay while making key play after key play.

None was bigger than Tyree’s catch, however, and it has become etched in NFL and Giants lore ever since.

This week, the NBC broadcast team was in Canton to cover the Hall of Fame Game and they visited the museum, which has the famous play on display.

Rodney Harrison, the player Tyree outfought for the ball that night, was joined by Chris Simms, Tony Dungy and Jason Garrett to relive the moment.

As time rolls on, the play becomes more and more incredible. Even Harrison — a two-time All-Pro and Super Bowl champ — has to chalk this one up to the football gods.

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Ex-Giant David Tyree on Eli Manning, Tom Coughlin, his TV show and much more

Retired New York Giants WR David Tyree talks his “Odds with Ends” show, Eli Manning, Daniel Jones, Tom Coughlin and more with Giants Wire.

Over the weekend, former New York Giants wide receiver David Tyree sat down with Giants Wire to discuss his recent new venture: co-hosting his new show with another former Giant, Mathias Kiwanuka, called “Odds with Ends” on MSG Network.

After spending some time in the Giants’ front office during his post-playing career as the director of player development, Tyree is moving on to a role in television.

While discussing his newest venture, Tyree was asked about Daniel Jones’ future with the Giants, Eli Manning’s potential call to Canton and his well-documented bad practice prior to Super Bowl XLII.

Ben Watson says he might trade one of his twins for Super Bowl XLII win

Retired New England Patriots TE Ben Watson jokingly said he’d trade one of his twins for a Super Bowl XLII victory over the New York Giants.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady has had the New York Giants on the brain in recent months. He addressed the hate he receives from some Big Blue fans, arguing that they should love him, while also continuing to lament a Super Bowl XLII loss.

In fact, Brady went as far as to say he’d trade two of his other Super Bowl titles for a win in Super Bowl XLII.

“Would you be willing to trade two Super Bowl rings to win that one Super Bowl?” Shannon Sharpe asked Brady.

“I would,” Brady said without hesitation.

As it turns out, Brady isn’t alone in that line of thinking. And while he doesn’t have seven Super Bowl rings to bargain with, former New England Patriots tight end Ben Watson would be willing to pony up one of his twins for that Super Bowl XLII victory.

“I texted Tom and said, ‘I don’t know which one but I might trade one of my twins.’ Whichever one is the bad one of the day, I might trade one of them. If he was acting bad that day, throwing stuff everywhere and spitting on me, I might trade one of them for that ring, too,” Watson told USA TODAY jokingly.

Like Brady, Watson admits that Super Bowl loss to the Giants “still hurts” all these years later.

“That is something that would have been so special,” Watson added. “[It’s] something that would have cemented us as the greatest. Kudos to the Giants for what they did. But to [win] 18 games in a row and then lose the last one, it still hurts.”

Over a decade later, what the Giants managed to accomplish on that fateful night continues to impress. And for the Patriots, it continues to haunt.

David Tyree’s catch ranked best play in Super Bowl history

David Tyree’s helmet catch in Super Bowl XLII was recently named the No. 1 play in Super Bowl history.

With this year’s Super Bowl just days away and Tom Brady back in the big game competing for yet another championship, there has been a lot of reflection on his past. One memory that Brady does not enjoy discussing is Super Bowl XLII.

Many will remember Super Bowl XLII as the ‘Giant Upset’ due to the fact that the New York Giants took down the undefeated New England Patriots in one of the biggest upsets in sports history. The game also included one of the greatest catches in Super Bowl history.

David Tyree’s improbable helmet catch on the game-winning drive was recently ranked No. 1 among plays in Super Bowl history by NFL Films.

The catch only tells half the story.

The play, which was a third-and-5, also included the eventual Super Bowl MVP, Eli Manning, escaping three Patriots defenders to avoid the sack and heaving the ball down the field in Tyree’s direction. The play came at a pivotal point in the game with the Giants trailing by four late in the fourth quarter.

Four years later, the Giants would beat Tom Brady and the Patriots again. Although not quite as iconic, Mario Manningham made a catch that was just as clutch as Tyree’s catch. Manningham’s catch ranked No. 10 on the list giving the Giants two plays in the top 10 on NFL Films’ list.

Tyree’s catch is one of the first things people think about when they remember Super Bowl XLII. It’s no surprise that Tyree’s catch ranks No. 1, although Pittsburgh Steelers fans may argue that it might not even be the greatest catch in Super Bowl history.

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