Former New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan has had a tremendous career both on and off the field.
The National Football League Hall-of-Famer still owns the record for most sacks in a single season with 22.5. He accomplished that record in 2001 and won NFL defensive player of the year for his efforts. Strahan also holds the record for most tackles for a loss in a single season with 23. He was selected to the NFL Pro Bowl seven times and was appointed to the first-team All-Pro Unit four times. The New York Giants Retired his number, 92, and inducted him into the team’s Ring of Honor.
Despite achieving a wealth of individual success, Strahan most remembers a team effort that brought him a Super Bowl ring. In one of the most infamous NFL games ever played, Strahan’s Giants defeated the New England Patriots in 2007. It was Strahan’s final year with the team before announcing his retirement. Winning an NFL championship and riding off into the sunset is a dream shared by many NFL players.
Speaking with Inc.com, Strahan relives the magic of the moment and recalls one of the greatest plays in sports history.
Michael Strahan Earns Super Bowl Ring Before Retirement
The Giants were trailing the undefeated Patriots 14-10 with just over two minutes left. What happened next is what legends are made of. Giants quarterback Eli Manning drove his team down the field, but it was a spectacular catch by David Tyree that is the lasting impression from that game. Facing a key third down, Manning escapes pressure and heaves a long ball to Tyree. Known as the “helmet catch,” Tyree is able to corral the pass by trapping it against his helmet.
Strahan describes it as one of his greatest moments. Seconds before the play occurred, Strahan predicts the Giants will score on the drive and win the game 17-14.
“Man I just wanted to win,” he says in the interview. “I wanted that super bowl ring.”
Strahan says he believed 100 percent that his team would come back and pull off the win.
“No, no, no. I really believed it,” he says. “And I wanted them to believe it too.”
The Giants would go on to win the game and the championship by a final score of 17 to 14 — just as Strahan predicted.
