Super Bowl hero Tyree admits mulling retirement after visiting Giants at workouts

Super Bowl hero David Tyree drops in on Giants

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — During the New York Giants’ final organized team activity of the offseason, the guy getting all the attention wasn’t wearing a uniform or a helmet.

It seemed during almost every break, someone ran up to David Tyree and gave him a hug, with each one bringing a smile to the 30-year-old receiver’s face.

Almost seven years after being drafted by the Giants in the sixth round of the 2003 draft, Tyree knows his days in the NFL might be numbered.

The man who made “The Catch” in the Giants’ Super Bowl victory over New England is February 2008 is seriously thinking retirement.

“It is very likely I could shut it down and I won’t have any qualms about it,” Tyree said in the locker room Friday after the roughly 70-minute workout ended. “Like I said two years ago, if everything ended with this, I’d have to be happy, amazingly happy. This has been a crazy ride.”

Tyree was released by the Giants before last season after battling hamstring and knee injuries much of the past two seasons. He eventually was signed by the Baltimore Ravens and played mostly on special teams, recording 10 tackles in 10 games.

“It was weird at first,” Tyree said about not being a Giant. “I am not going to lie, even the fit of the jersey, it was weird.”

Tyree did one thing to make the jersey a little more comfortable. He choose the No. 17 as a tribute to former teammate Plaxico Burress, who was sent to prison last year after pleading guilty to a weapons possession charge in New York City.

“I missed my friend, Plaxico, and I wore it with honor for him,” Tyree said. “I am an example of someone who could have been right there with him. Obviously it boils down to the choices we make. I wanted the world to know it was an honor to be back on the field and I was honored to let the world know I love him.”

Tyree said he has visited Burress a couple of times in prison and “he’s doing great.”

Since last season ended, the Ravens elected not to offer Tyree a contract, making him a free agent. He has spoken to a couple of teams but no one has offered him a contract.

If this is the end of his career, Tyree said he has some options, including reporting and the ministry. Coaching is not in the mix.

His job right now is being a dad, with his family expanding to five children with the birth of a son, Solomon, on Sunday.

Tyree said he is still working out a little, but not at a level necessary to perform in the NFL.

Tyree said he would want to retire as a Giant, if his career was over.

“At the end of the day I am a Giant,” Tyree said. “My greatest moments have been here. My greatest memories have been here and that’s why I am here today, to chop it up with some of these guys I missed so much last year.”

The moment that no one will forget is ‘The Catch,’ which came on a third-and-5 play with 1:15 to play and the Giants trailing unbeaten New England Patriots 14-10.

Eli Manning avoided a big pass rush and lofted a 32-yard pass downfield. Tyree made a leaping catch, pinning the ball against his helmet, first with one hand and then the other. He held on to the ball despite being pulled to the ground by Rodney Harrison.

It set up Manning’s game-winning 13-yard touchdown pass to Burress in the final minute.