The Ultimate Judge Weighs In On Tyree Catch

Friday, February 08, 2008

We all had a great time arguing whether David Tyree's third down grab was the Greatest Super Bowl history. This is obviously as subjective as it gets buy my vote was a resounding yes and a few of you disagreed. Well Steve Sabol of NFL Films has come out with his opinion and from someone who has watching every Super Bowl about 8,000 times, I think he's a good a judge as any....

I was sitting around with some people after Super Bowl XLII, talking about the dramatic finish and, in particular, the winning drive. We still were marveling over the catch David Tyree made, leaping high in the air and wrestling the ball away from New England's Rodney Harrison, to keep the drive alive.

Someone said it might go down as the greatest catch in Super Bowl history, better than Max McGee's one-handed stab in Super Bowl I, better than Butch Johnson's tumbling touchdown grab for Dallas in Super Bowl XII, better even than Lynn Swann's balletic leap for Pittsburgh in Super Bowl X.

I took it a step further. I said I thought it was the greatest PLAY in Super Bowl history.
That's right everyone. Better than Vinatieri, better than Riggins' run, better than the Mike Jones tackle, and better than Elway's helicopter run. After thinking them all through I'm inclined to agree. Thinking back to how I reacted to all of those plays (minus the Riggins play) I've never going that crazy for a play in the Super Bowl ever. Not even for any play during the two Redskins Super Bowl wins I watched as a kid.

So that's my two cents. I hope some of you that are a little older can share some other highlights that us youngins may not understand the gravity of, but my vote's for Tyree.

Tyree's catch goes down as best play in Super Bowl history (NFL.com)

14 Comments:

Given how amazing the catch was and the gravity of the situation (they don't win if he doesn't catch it), I can't think of a more amazing, more impactful play in Super Bowl history

J.J. said...
Feb 8, 2008, 11:59:00 AM  

Why even mention Vinatieri, AA? That wasn't a great play at all... just another FG, it wasn't all on him.

Anonymous said...
Feb 8, 2008, 12:10:00 PM  

better than Riggins' run

NOOOOOOOO!

Feb 8, 2008, 12:11:00 PM  

elway's run was on third down and gave them a first. i'd probably vote that 2nd. even though field goals in SBs 5 (colts/cowboys), 25 (giants/bills) and two of the patriot super bowls were on the final play and decided the game, i don't think i'd vote any of them in the top 10 plays in the history of the super bowl.

-dan

Anonymous said...
Feb 8, 2008, 12:17:00 PM  

yeah, what unsilent said

the great bambi said...
Feb 8, 2008, 12:21:00 PM  

You weren't even alive when that happened UM. And you're right Anon...Vinatieri should be null and void.

Feb 8, 2008, 12:23:00 PM  

i am a giants fan so of course i think it's the greatest play in super bowl history. i think eli avoiding the sack is about 50% as amazing as the catch. the combination makes it so special.

Anonymous said...
Feb 8, 2008, 1:05:00 PM  

Ummm, no mention of Marcus Allen's run where he reverses field?

Steve Davis said...
Feb 8, 2008, 1:12:00 PM  

For someone who runs a blog poking at the misfortune of others, I feel it necessary to point out that the sentence "I've never going that crazy for a play in the Super Bowl ever" should read "I've never gone" but that is just an observation.

Anonymous said...
Feb 8, 2008, 1:50:00 PM  

Poop in your fist, nick.

The greatest plays in Super Bowl history were any time that Ricky Sanders touched the ball.

GMoney said...
Feb 8, 2008, 4:03:00 PM  

For someone named nick who reads this blog, I suggest maybe you get back to your high-paying job as a copy editor.

Oh, wait...

The giant snatch has to be up there, but best play EVER? That's tough. The Mike Jones tackel...Riggins...Vinatieri's 2001 kick...there's a lot to look at.

Bodjo said...
Feb 8, 2008, 4:03:00 PM  

What makes that play #1 is that Eli was able to evade the entire Patriots defense to set up that catch.

Anonymous said...
Feb 8, 2008, 4:21:00 PM  

Either Eli somehow avoiding the sack or Tyree making the catch would alone put that play in the Top 10 all-time. The fact that they both happened together on the same play makes it the easy #1.

Anonymous said...
Feb 8, 2008, 4:55:00 PM  

Seems like everybody has Mike Greenberg-itis. Give play a year before you say its the greatest player in super bowl history.

...WTF Herbie Hancock is still alive, sweet!

Nelvis said...
Feb 10, 2008, 11:32:00 PM  

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