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Eli Manning pass to David Tyree

Eli Manning's pass to David Tyree in the final two minutes of Super Bowl XLII was an instrumental play in the New York Giants 17–14 victory over the New England Patriots. It featured Manning escaping from the grasp of three Patriots defensive players, followed by Tyree making a leaping catch by pressing the ball against his helmet.

Lead up

Tyree had been used primarily on special teams and had only 4 receptions for 35 yards and no touchdowns during the 2007 regular season. However, with 11:05 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl, Tyree caught a five-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Eli Manning that gave the Giants a 10–7 lead. Minutes later, the Patriots scored a touchdown, giving them a 14–10 lead with 2:42 left on the clock. The Giants got the ball back on the kickoff and soon faced a 3rd-and-5 from their own 44 with 1:15 remaining. Tyree was supposed to run a post pattern, in which he would run on a dead sprint downfield, and then split off in the direction of the goalpost. The actual name of the play in the Giants playbook was "Phantom".

Play

Manning faced intense pressure at the line of scrimmage, and barely managed to spin away eluding three defenders — Richard Seymour, Jarvis Green, and Adalius Thomas — who had a grasp on his jersey. Due to the pressure, Tyree didn't run his intended route, instead coming back towards the line to give Manning an option down the field. Manning retreated from the pressure and threw downfield to Tyree, who leaped in the air, caught the ball, and secured possession of the high pass by pressing the ball against the top of his helmet with his right hand as the Patriots' Rodney Harrison pulled him down.

The play came late in the fourth quarter and netted the Giants 32 yards. Four plays and 36 seconds later, Plaxico Burress scored the go-ahead touchdown for the Giants, who won the game 17–14.

Names

As with other famous plays in the NFL, this play has been deemed worthy of a "name". However, a consensus has yet to be reached on what the name should be. A debate over the best name for the play has raged in the New York newspapers and sports talk shows. These are some of the names:

"The Catch" (the default generic reference)
"Double Miracle
"Catch 42
"The Play
"The Great Escape
"Escape and Capture
"Slip and Grip
"Hail Manning
"Desert Storm
"The Helmet Catch
"The Sling (inspired by Aikman's description below)
"Flee to Tyree
"Shawshank Reception
"The Great Helmet Escape Catch
"The Gasp and The Grasp
"The Gotham Grab

Tyree has suggested his favorite name for the catch is "Catch 42

ESPYs spoof

The catch was spoofed by Justin Timberlake at the 2008 ESPYs. It 'reveals' that he left gum on David Tyree's Helmet, which helped him catch that big pass (since he caught it close to the top of his helmet).

Quotations

Eli Manning out of the shotgun... He takes it... facing pressure... He's in trouble... He's spun around... He's able to get away... looks to throw... He does, downfield...And a leaping catch is made downfield at the 25! David Tyree comes up with it!

Pressure from Thomas off the edge. Eli Manning....stays on his feet. Airs it out down the field. It is...caught by Tyree.

Oh my God. This ball is thrown and Tyree just goes up for it like a basketball player. Harrison trying to knock it down. And Eli Manning -- I don't know how he got out of there; I thought he was on the ground, and then he came out of the pile and just slings it... That's a great catch by David Tyree.

Manning takes the snap. Back to throw. Under pressure, avoids the rush, and he's gonna...fight out of it, still fights out of it, now throws it deep down field, wide open Tyree who....makes the catch! At the twenty two yard line! What a play by Manning! He eluded three sacks! He runs up to Mike Carey and calls a time out! And what a catch by Tyree, with 58 seconds to go!