We are rapidly approaching the 10th anniversary of the Giants victory in Superbowl 42 over the Patriots. The 2007 Giants meant so much to me personally. I was 24 years old, living at home, and football was my total passion. The 10 subsequent years, coupled with marriage, a career, a home, and starting a family have eroded the amount of time I can invest in football. I still remember feeling the similarities, if one could be so naive, between myself and that team. We were young, we were inconsistent, and we had a level of arrogance only the young can possess because they don't know any better. But we worked hard, and if we were directionless, we were still going 100 MPH in that direction.
Over the coming weeks I'm going to post a player retrospective - 1 player per day and discuss who they were, what they meant to the 2007 team, and what became of them after - I've always been a sucker for those still images at the ends of movies with a small blurb telling you what that person did later in life. I encourage all to weigh in on the player of the day, their memories, and memories of the 2007 Giants in general.
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A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Jay Alford was a rookie DT in 2007, Jerry Reese
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Chase Blackburn was a 3rd year MLB out of Akron (signed as an undrafted free agent) who was backup to Antonio Pierce. He played in all 16 regular season games and the post-season, mostly as a dedicated special teams player. He finished the regular season with 22 tackles.
Memorable Plays and Notes: Blackburn was a small piece of the puzzle in 2007. With Antonio Pierce starting (and playing well) in front of him, Blackburn
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Kevin Boothe was a backup interior lineman for the 2007 Giants. He was a 2006 draft pick by the Raiders and let go after just one season (despite starting 15 games) before the Giants scooped him up as an insurance plan at guard.
Memorable Plays and Notes: Boothe was not an integral player in 2007 with guards Chris Snee and Rich Seubert garnering the lions share of time. If I recall correctly he did get some playing time in the Wild-Card round of the playoffs with Seubert needing fluids (game was in balmy Tampa Bay), but I can
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Kevin Boss was a rookie TE in 2007 after being drafted in the 5th round out of little known Western Oregon. Boss was a backup for most of the season to Jeremy Shockey, and inherited the starting role when Shockey went down in Week 14. He finished the regular season with just 9 receptions and 100+ yards.
Memorable Plays and Notes: Boss contributed very little in 2007, even as a starter he usually only had 1 or 2 receptions per game. Boss is best remembered for catching a seam pass in Superbowl 42, out-maneuvering Probowl safety Rodney Harrison and chugging away to a 45 yard gain. The drive ultimately lead to a touchdown, and was really the offensive catalyst the Giants offense needed after stagnating for much of the 3rd quarter. Boss will also be remembered for what he DIDN
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Ahmad Bradshaw was a rookie out of Marshall in 2007 (7th round) and before the season it was assumed he would have a very small role. Ahead of him on the depth chart was Derrick Ward, Rueben Droughns and starter Brandon Jacobs. After injuries to Ward and Droughns, Bradshaw saw increased time in the final games of the regular season and into the post-season. He finished the regular season with just under 200 yards rushing but cranked out another 200 on limited carries in the post-season.
Memorable Plays and Notes: Bradshaw had dropped in the NFL draft due to character concerns
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Plaxico Burress was a 2005 free agent signing (under Ernie Accorsi) and one of 3 very successful free agents signed that year. Burress and the Giants were almost an
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: James Butler was the starting Strong Safety for the majority of the 2007 season having joined the team as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He worked mostly as a backup prior to the 2007 season
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Barry Cofield was drafted in 2006 out of Northwestern in the 4th round, an imposing nose-tackle who could dominate the line of scrimmage and disrupt the backfield. He finished the season with 34 tackles and 1 sack, but his value was more of
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Zak DeOssie was a rookie linebacker in 2007 having been drafted in the fourth round out of Brown. While DeOssie was drafted to provide depth to the linebacking corps
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: David Diehl was a 6th round pick by the Giants in 2003, and he more than returned on that investment. Diehl started at guard as a rookie for all 16 games, the first rookie to do so since Mark Bavaro. In 2005 he moved to right guard, and also played right tackle. With the unexpected release of Luke Petitgout prior to the 2007 season, the Giants moved Diehl to left tackle
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Kevin Dockery was a 2nd year corner out of Mississippi State. Having gone undrafted in 2006 Dockery fought long odds to secure a roster spot in 2007. With a slew of DBs in front of him like 1st round pick Aaron Ross, 2nd round bust Corey Webster and free agent signings from the previous year (the accomplished Sam Madison and journey-man R.W. McQuarters).
Memorable Plays and Notes: Due to some early injuries (Aaron Ross) and ineffectiveness (Corey Webster) Dockery saw quite a bit of action. He played in 13 games, starting 6. He played in the Wild Card round and the Superbowl. I
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: If there ever was a definition of a journey-man, Droughns was it. Droughns
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Jeff Feagles was a 2003 free agent signing and 2007 was his twentieth season in the league. Feagles was a deadly coffin corner punter even being as long in the tooth as he was. In 2007 he was rapidly approaching (or had already broke) most career punting records and was closing in on most consecutive games played in a career. In 2007 Feagles was instrumental for a team that
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Hedgecock joined the Giants shortly after the regular season began (Week 2) after being put on waivers by the Rams. The Giants were searching for a replacement for veteran fullback Jim Finn who had been lost to Injured Reserve in training camp and Robert Douglas was injured and ineffective. Hedgecock proved to be a key piece in paving the way for the Giants
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Hixon wasn
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Jacobs joined the Giants from Southern Illinois in the 2005 draft class, which turned out to be a very quirky class. Having traded the farm for Eli Manning the previous season the Giants only had 4 picks in 2005 with no first rounder. Three of those four picks would become vital components to the 2007 team
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Johnson was a 7th round selection in 2007 out of Arizona and was expected to provide depth behind Gibril Wilson, Will Demps and James Butler. With the late camp departure of Demps and injuries early in the season, Johnson ended up starting 5 games across from Craig Dahl, another rookie (undrafted) and steadied the ship until some of the
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis:
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Jared Lorenzen was an undrafted free agent out of Kentucky who signed with the Giants in 2004. He was a backup to Eli Manning for those 4 years and given Manning
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Madison was a free agent signing in 2006 after the Giants decided to allow Will Allen and Will Peterson (both starting cornerbacks) to walk in free agency. With Corey Webster still struggling to grasp the playbook and the pace of NFL play and Aaron Ross being a rookie - the Giants saw Madison as a full-time starter going into the 2007 season, despite being long in the tooth (10 years). He started 15 games and snagged 4 interceptions during the regular season before ceding playing time to the unexpected revival of Corey Webster and emergence of Aaron Ross.
Memorable Plays and Notes: Madison is seemingly just another ho-hum cog in the wheel that was the 2007 Giants, but he was truly sensational that season, both in his on-field play and what he meant to the clubhouse. Consider the defensive backs on the 2007 team and their relative youth with Aaron Ross (rookie), Corey Webster (3rd year), Gibril Wilson (4th year) and James Butler (3rd year). Madison was constantly coaching and teaching, relying on his 4 Probowls and 2 All-Pro experience to educate a secondary that by any standard should have had big growing pains. His tutelage, coupled with journeyman R.W. McQuarters were a vital off-field story to the maturation of said unit. Go watch America
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Manning was a 2004 first round pick of the Chargers but spent about an hour with that team before they traded him to the Giants for Philip Rivers and a king
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: McKenzie was a 2005 free agent signing under the Ernie Accorsi regime. The offensive line play in the 2003-4 seasons had been poor and an upgrade was needed at tackle. Kareem had started the previous 3 seasons with the cross-town Jets and was one of the highest rated free agents available. The Giants signed him quickly and never looked back. His first two season with the Giants had been great, and there was no expectation that his solid play at right tackle wouldn
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: McQuarters was a 2006 free agent signing and another journeyman who the Giants got lucky with. Initially signed to provide some dime/quarter depth at defensive back while returning punts, he started many games in 2006 due to injuries and ineffectiveness. In 2007 he was used most as a 4th or 5th option at corner.
Memorable Plays and Notes: R.W. was seemingly a small piece in 2007 but his tutelage and fostering of the younger defensive backs cannot be understated. McQuarters was playing for his 4th team in 7 years, and taught many valuable lessons about the fickle nature of the NFL. His most memorable play in 2007 was an interception off Tony Romo on their 4th down prayer to the end-zone that sealed the victory for the Giants in the playoffs (pictured above). He was very visible on the field of play, with long dreadlocks and often wore a SpongeBob SquarePants Band-Aid under his eye.
After 2007: McQuarters played one more season with the Giants before retiring. Of his time in the NFL he remembers many things, including being highly aware of the fragile nature of his career,
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Mitchell was a 2nd round pick by the Chiefs in 2003 and had started at middle linebacker there from 2004-06, garnering 100+ tackles in the last 2 seasons. Unexpectedly the Chiefs chose not to pursue a new contract with him and allowed him to become a free agent, where the market also soured on his services. Late in the free agent period he signed with the Giants on a 1 year
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Sinorice Moss was a 2006 draft pick under Ernie Accorsi, a 2nd rounder after a solid collegiate career at Miami. Moss had underwhelmed as a rookie in 2006 catching only 5 balls for 25 yards. In 2007 he was expected to compete for the slot receiver position but was quickly surpassed on the depth chart by rookie Steve Smith. He ended up starting 2 games in 2007, but his contributions were just over 200 yards for the entire season. He did not play in the post-season.
Memorable Plays and Notes: Sinorice is the younger brother of standout Santana Moss, who spent his career with the Jets and Redskins. Moss was not a memorable player in the 2007 season and if it weren
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: O
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Pierce was a 2005 free agent signing along with Kareem McKenzie and Plaxico Burress. The Giants had struggled in previous seasons at linebacker with ineffectiveness (Nick Greisen, Carlos Emmons, Barrett Green) and departures (Micheal Barrow, Dhani Jones, Brandon Short) and Pierce shored up the MLB position quickly. He was a one-year starter after some injuries ravaged the Redskins
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Robbins joined the Giants in 2004 as a free agent from the Vikings. He was an imposing 3-technique defensive tackle who could push the pocket and rush the passer. Given the depth at defensive end there was a need for an interior presence who could clean up when quarterbacks stepped up in the pocket and Robbins did that. He garnered 5.5 sacks in 2007 and 40+ tackles.
Memorable Plays and Notes: Robbins was the kind of free agent signing that became one of the hallmarks of the Ernie Accorsi era. Quietly very productive while providing excellent team leadership. It
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Aaron Ross was the first round pick in 2007, and the first pick with Jerry Reese as GM. A corner out of Texas, Ross was part of the 2005 team that defeated USC for a National Championship. A tough, physical corner, Ross also ranked high on intangibles, having a girlfriend who was an Olympic sprinter and having won the Jim Thorpe award twice. He was expected to start immediately
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Seubert was a 2001 undrafted free agent who had started at guard for some time before a horrific injury in 2003 (Eagles defensive end N.D. Kalu stepped on the back of his leg) which broke his tibia and fibula. After reconstructive surgery, Seubert slowly came back as a backup to Chris Snee before starting again at guard late in the 2006 season. In 2007 he resumed his starting spot after nearly 3 seasons since the injury.
Memorable Plays and Notes: Seubert was known for his silence and resilency. His most memorable play is something most Giant
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Jeremy Shockey was a 2002 first round pick under Ernie Accorsi and one of the more dominant tight ends in Pro Football, having been selected to the Pro Bowl in 4 of his first 5 seasons. Shockey had grabbed 84 passes for just under 900 yards as a rookie and while his seasons since were less sensational, they were very good. In 2007 Shockey started the first 14 games of the season, snagging 57 passes for 619 yards and 3 TDs. He suffered a broken leg in Washington in Week 15 which ended his season.
Memorable Plays and Notes: Shockey was turning in a very solid season in 2007 prior to the injury, but he was often vocal in his displeasure with teammates and coaches alike. He is widely remembered for calling former Giants head coach Bill Parcells a
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Steve Smith was a 2007 draft pick, a 2nd round pick out of USC and an immediate contributor to the Giants in 2007. Having traded Tim Carter in the off-season, the Giants were looking for slot options and grabbed Smith quickly in the draft. Behind him on the depth chart were disappointments in Sinorice Moss, and special teamer David Tyree. He played sparsely during the 2007 regular season, only playing in 5 weeks (1,2,15,16, and 17) due to hamstring issues. He turned in a marvelous post-season with 14 catches for 152 yards and a number of big plays.
Memorable Plays and Notes: For such a small sample size, and for being a rookie, Smith made a HUGE impact on the 2007 Giants. Memorable plays? How about in the Divisional round after the Cowboys had just scored before the half, with the defense on the ropes he snagged a huge reception for 22 yards and was face-masked on the play which continued the drive where the Giants scored a TD to tie the game. In the Superbowl he had 5 catches for 50 yards, his most important being a reception on the game winning drive on a 3rd down where he tight roped the sideline before getting hammered out of bounds, for a first down.
After 2007: With Plaxico Burress being pre-occupied with incarceration and Amani Toomer getting very long in the tooth, Smith took on a more prominent role in the subsequent years, most notably in 2009 where he caught 107 passes for 1220 yards and earned a Pro Bowl nod. Smith was having another fine season in 2010 before he suffered an injury that would require micro-fracture surgery. In the off-season, as a free agent, he chose to ignore the advice of the Giants
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Chris Snee was a 2004 draft pick, in the second round from Boston College after the Giants had acquired Eli Manning in the first round. He was an instant starter (a very safe pick) and played 11 games as a rookie before having to sit with an issue with an inflamed gland. He had started every game in 2005 and 2006, and was considered among the best right guards in the league going into 2007.
Memorable Plays and Notes: Snee made headlines as a draftee because he had a child with Tom Coughlin
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Strahan was a 2nd round pick in 1993 under George Young. The longest tenured Giant heading into the 2007 season, there was some speculation that Strahan would retire as he skipped all of training camp before coming back to the team prior to Week 1. Despite his advanced age, Strahan turned in a solid season with 9 sacks and 57 tackles. His leadership and mentoring of the other defensive lineman was an invaluable contribution.
Memorable Plays and Notes: Strahan
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Dave Tollefson was a 7th round pick of the Green Bay Packers in 2006, who spent his whole first season on the practice squad. After being cut by the Packers he was on the Raiders
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Amani Toomer was a 2nd round pick in 1996 out of Michigan and after a slow start to his career, became a dependable 1,000 yard receiver. By 2007 Toomer was now a #2 option in an offense featuring some other playmakers in their prime, including Plaxico Burress, Jeremy Shockey and some hungry young receivers like Steve Smith. Toomer completed the 2007 season with 760 yards and 3 TDs. In the post-season, Toomer proved that despite being long in the tooth he was still a fine receiver, grabbing 3 TDs and 280 yards in the 4 games.
Memorable Plays and Notes: Toomer really rose to the occasion in the playoffs
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Reggie Torbor was a 2004 draft pick in the 4th round under Ernie Accorsi, oft forgotten in a draft that brought in Eli Manning and Chris Snee. Used mostly as a special teams player and a backup at linebacker, Torbor had only started 14 games in his first 3 professional seasons. He was adept in pass coverage but lacked the
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: The 2005 draft class was very rewarding for such a small class (only 4 players), including Tuck (3rd round) amongst a haul that also included Brandon Jacobs and Corey Webster. Tuck had not seen much success as a pro prior to 2007
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: The Giants needed a new kicker after the departure of Jay Feely as a free agent - and turned to the free agent market themselves where they signed Tynes, who had kicked for the Chiefs the previous 3 years. The competition between him and other pre-season kickers was tight, but he did enough to earn the nod as the kicker for 2007. He completed 85% of his field goals that season.
Memorable Plays and Notes: Tynes was a streaky kicker who could give Giants fans fits throughout the season - and his post-season remained no different. In the NFC Championship game, where temperatures made the game the 3rd coldest in NFL history, Tynes missed two field goals, including a late attempt that would have won the game for the Giants. In overtime, after a Corey Webster interception set up a game winning field goal try, Tynes absolutely drained a 47 yard attempt to put the Giants into the Superbowl (for you historians this was 10 years, 6 days ago, pictured above). For a personal memory, I had a friend (also an avid Giants fan) flippantly tell me that if the Giants won the NFC Championship game he would run from his house to mine - a distance of about 1.5 miles (I laughed it off). He made true on his promise, showing up red faced, panting, and exhausted having run that distance in the extreme cold (it was also snowing in NJ). Sorry for the personal touch, but I'll never forget my friend bursting in out of the cold, wrapping me in a huge bear hug and planting a big kiss on my forehead and screaming "We're going to the bowl!"
After 2007: Tynes kicked for the Giants through the 2012 season, earning another ring in 2011. "Oh my god, twice" was his remark after the NFC Championship game against the 49ers (for the 2011 season) after he hit another overtime field goal when a fumbled punt return set the Giants up in makeable field goal range. Tynes left the Giants in 2013, signing with the Bucs for a season before retiring. Tynes and his family (wife and twin children) reside in Milton, Florida.
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Tyree was a 6th round pick out of Syracuse in 2003, and was brought on to provide special teams depth. An excellent gunner - Tyree was a 2005 Pro Bowl selection as a special teams player. He was not widely utilized as a wide receiver, with only 50 receptions in his first four seasons. During the 2007 regular season he had only 4 receptions and was used mostly as a blocker - being brought on to absolutely molest opposing cornerbacks in the running game.
Memorable Plays and Notes: If I have to tell you - you've been living under a rock for the last 10 years. The Giants were trailing the Patriots by 4 points with just over a minute remaining - driving desperately for a game winning touchdown. On a 3rd and 5 play on their own 44 yard-line, the Giants looked doomed to a long fourth down opportunity. The Patriots blitzed at the snap and nearly every defensive lineman won their match-up, smothering Eli Manning. Manning somehow fought out of the sack, and heaved a duck of a pass over the middle of the field. Tyree positioned himself under the pass, and made a basketball style reception with Patriots safety Rodney Harrison draped all over him trying to dislodge the ball. He briefly trapped the ball against his helmet with one hand as he was dragged down, dubbing the now famous "Helmet Catch". It went for 32 yards, and is easily the most recognizable play in Superbowl history. He also caught a short touchdown pass earlier in the fourth quarter adding to his "one game" mystique. Never before has a player been more defined by a single game than Tyree.
After 2007: As story books go - the Helmet Catch was the end of the line for Tyree as a pro football player. He suffered a training camp injury in 2008 and was lost for the season, and cut by the Giants prior to 2009. He signed with the Ravens but didn't record a reception - the Helmet Catch was his last professional reception in either the regular or post-season. Tyree is married, with seven children and is an evangelical Christian. Struggling with alcohol and substance abuse early in his career he turned towards the church which he claims saved his life. Teammates have remarked upon his hard partying ways prior to this, showing up to meetings drunk or smelling of booze and questioning his shelf life as an NFL player. In 2014 the Giants brought Tyree back as their Director of Player Development - a post which he continues to hold. Tyree made media headlines in 2014 when the first openly gay player, Michael Sam, was drafted as Tyree had expressed anti-homosexual sentiment previously (2011), including stating he would trade his famous catch to prevent gay marriage stating that the legalization would be "anarchy". Tyree has subsequently softened his stance, and remains a fixture in the Giants organization. He considers his Helmet Catch as "providence".
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Osi Umenyiora was a 2nd round pick out of Troy in 2003. Umenyiora came on slowly - despite appearing in 13 games as a rookie he only accrued 1 sack. He exploded onto the scene in 2004-5, accruing 7 and 14.5 sacks respectively. After an injury plagued 2006 - Umenyiora headed into the 2007 season as one of the premier young defensive ends in his prime. Michael Strahan spoke frequently of "passing the torch" to Umenyiora. He finished the season with 13 sacks and was instrumental in harassing Tom Brady in Superbowl 42.
Memorable Plays and Notes: Umenyiora holds a Giants record for most sacks in a game - with 6 which he accomplished in an early season tilt against the Eagles in 2007. A number of memorable plays stick out in his career to me - I remember a strip sack which he recovered and returned for a touchdown. He was also a monster in the 2011 post-season. In the divisional round against the Packers he swatted the ball out of Aaron Rodgers' hand and if he hadn't - a streaking wideout was wide open for a touchdown. Outside of his football play he is an interesting case in that in 2004 the Giants were trying to acquire Chargers' quarterback Eli Manning. While considering the package of picks to trade - Ernie Accorsi was asked to include Umenyiora as part of the trade but refused. Instead of Umenyiora as part of the package, or the 2004 2nd round pick, Accorsi gave up rights to his 2005 first round pick. As a result, in addition to keeping Umenyiora and drafting Manning - the Giants were able to acquire Chris Snee in the 2nd round. All three players would go on to prove pivotal in the 2007 season (and 2011 season). The Chargers' draft picks with the picks included Nate Keading, Shawn Merriweather, and Philip Rivers.
After 2007: Umenyiora was also a 2011 champion with the Giants - but his relationship with the team often soured as Umenyiora routinely felt underpaid. 2011 had been a microcosm of that sentiment - with Umenyiora choosing to have surgery early in the season despite being healthy enough to play. After a 2012 season in which he was not a starter - he signed as a free agent with the Falcons. He played for two more seasons, before signing a one day contract to retire as a Giant. He splits his time between his homes in Georgia and New Jersey with his wife, Leila Lopes (Miss Universe 2011).
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Ward was a 7th round draft pick by the Jets in 2004 - but he did not make the final roster and the Giants scooped him up off waivers. His first 3 years in the league didn't amount to much, just 35 carries. In 2007 with starter Brandon Jacobs struggling early in the season with injuries, he and Rueben Droughns formed a time share and he saw his workload increase considerably. He finished the season with 125 carries for 600+ yards with a trio of TDs. He was lost for the season after breaking his leg in Week 14 against the Bears - oddly enough his best game of the season with 150+ yards on 24 carries.
Memorable Plays and Notes: Ward was not along for the Superbowl ride and was never a flashy player - just a hard working backup. Late in the 2008 season Ward rushed for 200+ yards on just 15 carries in a game that solidified the Giants as the #1 seed in the NFC.
After 2007: 2008 proved to be the best season of Wards' career. Despite the emergence of Ahmad Bradshaw late in the 2007 season, it was Ward who won the primary backup job to Brandon Jacobs and he didn't disappoint. He rushed for just over 1,000 yards on a mere 182 carries. He and Jacobs made NFL history that year joining only a handful of other running back tandems to jointly rush for 1K yards each. He signed a free agent contract in the offseason with the Bucs, but only played there a year before being cut. He squeezed out two more years with the Texans before the NFL cast him aside. Ward made headlines just last week after his wife made allegations that he had hit her, choked her and threatened to kill her. He has yet to respond to the allegations.
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Corey Webster was a 2nd round pick out of LSU in the 2005 draft. Having traded away their first round pick that year as part of the package to acquire Eli Manning, Webster was the Giants' top selection. Webster's career started very slowly, with many calling him a bust during the majority of the 2007 season - where he only started 4 games. He found a rhythm late in the season something "clicked" for him because he went from backup to starter seemingly overnight and played with such technique that you wondered if you were watching the same player.
Memorable Plays and Notes: Webster probably benefitted the most from the tutelage of Sam Madison and R.W. McQuarters. He also we probably miscast in the Giants' original defensive plans when they ran more zone. Under Steve Spagnuolo's aggressive play-calling he was really allowed to be himself and the dividends were immediate and appreciable. He started all four post-season games and earned two interceptions - one of which set the Giants up in field goal range in overtime in Green Bay which decided the game. Corey Webster can say he caught the last pass Brett Favre ever threw as a Packer.
After 2007: Webster was resigned by the Giants and played his full career in Giants blue - through the 2013 season. He was part of the Superbowl 46 team (again in tandem with Aaron Ross) that again toppled the Patriots. Late in his career he struggled with injuries and with attitude and was not the same player he was earlier in his career. He was widely criticized following his final season where he only played in 4 games (and earned 5 million) despite not having an injury that required surgery. Carl Banks was vocal in his criticism of Webster. Webster retired to Baton Rouge, where he runs a company called Signature Rides - a business for after-market modifications to high end cars.
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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2007 Synopsis: Wilson was a 5th round pick in 2004 out of Tennessee. Due to some injuries, he started 7 games as a rookie and flashed quite a bit of potential for a 5th round pick, snagging 3 interceptions. He started every game 2005-6. He missed a few games in 2007, starting 13 games and grabbing 4 interceptions. Considered under-sized for a league where safeties were pushing the 210+ range, Wilson was a solid option at safety and a player who could be relied on as a strong tackler, understood angles, and had seen enough NFL action that he wouldn't be caught off guard.
Memorable Plays and Notes: Gibril didn't stand out on a defense that had so many stars up front - the secondary's job was to play tight man coverage until Umenyiora, Tuck or Strahan put the quarterback on his ass, which was usually pretty quickly. He did have a memorable play late in Superbowl 42. After the Giants scored a touchdown to go up 17-14, the Patriots attempted some long passes into double and triple coverage to Randy Moss. Wilson broke up the last of the passes (all of which were too close for comfort) and secured the Giants' victory. He also put pressure on Brady early in the game hitting him late, to which Brady visibly objected (pictured above). This, among many plays, set the tone that the Giants were going to hit him all night.
After 2007: Wilson started 17 games with the Giants in 2007 and given his status as a starter and a veteran still in his mid-twenties - Wilson drew considerable free agent interest when his contract expired (after the Superbowl). The Giants oddly did not show significant interest in retaining him. He signed with the Raiders on a 6 year, 39 million dollar contract which made him one of the highest paid safeties in the league. Despite a solid season in 2008 (120+ tackles, 1.5 sacks and 2 interceptions), the Raiders cut bait after a single season, again making Wilson a free agent. He signed with the Dolphins on a 5 year contract for 28 million. Again Wilson was cut after a single season. He capped his NFL career with the Bengals. Wilson was brought back by the Giants to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the 2007 team, as a guest he said "Some of these guys, you haven't seen them since literally after that game. Seeing them now and picking back up like it's a normal thing. It's great to see these guys. After winning a championship, there is a lot of bonding and a lot of love that is between the guys. It proves that 10 years later you still have that same feeling you did after you won that game."
A 2007 Players Retrospective
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I hope you have all enjoyed the 2007 Retrospective as much as I enjoyed writing it. Going back and watching some games, reading on what the players are doing now was truly a fun experience.
Rosters in the NFL are a very fluid situation and can change from week to week or even day to day, and the 2007 Giants were no different. I focused this retrospective on 44 of the players that I remembered best. The players listed below were on the 2007 Giants for at least part of the season, and in some cases all of the season but saw very minimal game action or none at all. Nonetheless, I feel they deserve their names to be here.
Adrian Awasom - defensive end, appeared in 2 games, did not record a stat
Craig Dahl - undrafted rookie safety, started 2 games
Tank Daniels - linebacker, appeared in 4 games, 1 tackle, recorded a fumble recovery in the playoffs against the Bucs
Russell Davis - defensive tackle, appeared in 11 games, 5 tackles
Robert Douglas - running back, appeared in 1 game, did not record a stat
Adam Koets - tackle, did not play in 2007
Anthony Mix - wide receiver, waived after Week 4 to make room for Domenik Hixon, played in 4 games
Patrick Pass - full back, appeared in 1 game, cut to make room for Madison Hedgecock
Geoffrey Pope - defensive back, did not play
Gray Ruegamer - interior lineman, did not play
Guy Whimper - backup/swing tackle, played in all 16 games, did not start
Gerris Wilkinson - linebacker, 13 game appearances, 14 tackles
Anthony Wright - quarterback, 3 game appearances
Manny Wright - defensive tackle, 6 game appearances, 2 tackles
This was very cool, Zeph. You time and effort are appreciated.
Great work Lee. Thanks for doing this.
Thanks for all the work, Lee, great stuff.
Terrific job, zeph! THANKS!!!!! =D> =D> =D> =D>
Lee, I want to add to the chorus of thank yous :ok: =D>
Me too- thanks for the multiple trips down memory lane! This was a special team!
Ruegamer played during the last regular season game against the Patriots. Did well.
.... and one final round of applause for you, Lee.....
=D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D>