David Tyree will sign a one day contract with the New York Giants so that he may retire as a member of the team that made him a legend. Most sports fans will remember Tyree for that singular moment. However, Syracuse fans will remember Tyree for the work he put in before he ever became a Giant.
While they won’t think of him in the same breath as Marvin Harrison (pre-firearms) or Art Monk, Tyree did put together a respectable college career at SU.
Tyree compiled seasons of 333 yards, 233 yards and 559 yards. His best game was in 2002 when he hauled in 229 yards against Virginia Tech, the 2nd-best single game performance in school history. In total, he caught 68 passes for 1,214 yards and six TDs. He was also well-known for his special teams play, blocking six punts during his career.
The fame he achieved from that single Super Bowl play will propel his post-football career farther than anything else he did. He’s got the motivational speaker thing down. Perhaps he can coach or even take a shot at being a sportscaster. Of course, there’s a limit to where his infamy can take him. But no matter how far removed he is from The Catch, he’ll always be welcome back in Syracuse. We know him better than that.