The most unbelievable play in Super Bowl history

It is the most-watched yearly sporting event on the planet and the pinnacle of every NFL season. And with the eyes of the world watching, the Super Bowl rarely fails to deliver breath-taking moments of high drama, outrageous skill and jaw-dropping surprise.

The past decade alone has seen several key examples.

There was Malcolm Butler’s Super Bowl-clinching interception at Super Bowl LXIX in 2015, when the New England Patriots cornerback picked off an ill-advised Russell Wilson pass from the one-yard line in the final seconds to secure a 28-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks and a fourth Super Bowl for Tom Brady.

There was also the physics-defying catch Patriots receiver Julian Edelman made in 2017 to turn what looked like being a Brady interception into a vital first down as New England fought back from a 21-3 half-time deficit to beat the Atlanta Hawks 34-28 at Super Bowl LI.

And there was the “Philly Special” in 2018, the trick play the Eagles deployed to down the Patriots, with quarterback Nick Foles catching a touchdown pass from tight end Trey Burton en route to a 41-33 victory to land Philadelphia’s first-ever Super Bowl triumph.

But the most unbelievable single Super Bowl play of all time has fans scratching their heads to this day trying to figure out how it happened. And once again, Brady and the Patriots were the victims.

With just 1:15 remaining in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLII in 2008, the New York Giants trailed 14-10 to a New England side aiming to become the first team ever to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy after going unbeaten throughout the whole season.

The Giants had the ball on their own 38-yard line and were faced with a third-and-5. The odds were not in their favour.

 

 

And when Patriots defensive end Jarvis Green grabbed a fistful of Eli Manning’s jersey and attempted to haul the Giants’ quarterback to the ground, it looked like curtains for Big Blue.

But somehow Manning escaped and launched a hopeful pass upfield. That alone would have been remarkable enough, but what came next was the most iconic catch in Super Bowl history.

The ball arrowed toward David Tyree. But the Giants wide receiver – who had made just four receptions during the entire regular season and had spent most of the campaign as part of the special teams unit – was covered by three-time All-Pro safety Rodney Harrison.

Yet Tyree leapt up and secured the ball by pinning it against his helmet as Harrison dragged him down to the turf. The 32-yard reception thrust the Giants into Patriots territory and injected them with the belief that they could pull of an all-timer of an upset.

With 35 seconds left, Manning connected with Plaxico Burress for a 13-yard touchdown, handing Brady his first Super Bowl defeat and ensuring the “Helmet Catch” would be remembered as the most incredible play the NFL’s showpiece game had ever seen.

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