Giants Put Tyree On Season-Ending IR

Normally when a career special teamer goes on IR for the season, it's reduced to agate type in the transactions, but when it's David Tyree, the man on the receiving end of the greatest play in Super Bowl history, it makes news in these parts.

David Tyree said that seeing his season end before it even began is definitely something that "definitely stings." But he wasn't surprised and he absolutely isn't angry with the Giants. He knew it was a decision that they had to make.

"I can't say I was shocked," Tyree said on a conference call a few minutes ago. "It was just kind of news, you know? You kind of take it in stride. My knee felt good, but I wasn't able to show them my knee was good. I totally understood that pretty well."

Tyree, of course, had been on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list since July, due to his recovery from knee surgery in April. He returned to practice on Oct. 15 to begin a three-week evaluation period, but on the second day he strained his hamstring and hasn't been able to practice since.

As a result, the Giants were never able to see him on the field to gauge if his knee was truly healthy. That's why today, at the end of their three-week window, they placed him on season-ending injured reserve.

Tyree - one of the biggest heroes of Super Bowl XLII - said he was going to be ready to practice in "a week, maybe two weeks tops." But that would've taken him possibly into Week 11 before the Giants would've been able to get a good look at how he performs on his rehabilitated knee.

"I felt great running on Monday, but it was just straight ahead running and that's not a real good test when you're out there playing the wide receiver position," Tyree said. "I'd love to say to them, 'Hey, give me two weeks,' but that doesn't make sense from a management perspective."

Tyree understands that this could mean he's played his last game as a Giant - which would also mean that his miraculous catch in the Super Bowl could be his final Giants catch. "I'm a Giant," he said. "Until something changes I'm a Giant and obviously happy to be that. I don't desire to be anywhere else in my career."

This was a no-brainer for the organization. Cutting Tyree would be a PR blunder while they're steamrolling along this season as they seek to repeat as Super Bowl champions. He'll have the opportunity to make the team again next year and should be retained likely for his dynamic special team work over the years. Tyree never was a regular WR and the Giants have an abundance of talent ahead of him.

Whatever the case, he'll forever be in Giants lore for that one moment, and we'll never forget this play, perhaps the greatest ever: