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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Four months after headlining Super Bowl XLII, New York Giants wide receiver David Tyree says he's ready for his next 15 minutes of fame.
Cue the drum roll, please, because for the second time this year David Tyree will try to accomplish the unthinkable, the unimaginable and the unexpected. David Tyree will try to retain his job with the New York Giants.
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| David Tyree spent the Giants' recent minicamp rehabbing his repaired knee. (US Presswire) |
There are no guarantees this summer for the February star, and if you don't believe me, look at the Giants' roster of candidates at receiver. There's a cast of promising young talent behind veterans Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress, with Tyree one of many trying to make their case.
Of course, he did in Glendale, Ariz., with one of the most memorable plays in Super Bowl history. But that was then, and this is now, and now Tyree looks around at guys like Steve Smith, Sinorice Moss, Mario Manningham, Domenik Hixon, Michael Jennings and D.J. Hall and wonders where -- or if -- he fits in.
"It doesn't surprise me," he said at the team's mandatory minicamp this week. "The reality of it is that every year I go in and compete, and you never know how it's going to play out.
"You could've said it last year, and it's probably been said the last three or four years that there's no room for me on the roster. But I'm still here, and every time I've been given an opportunity in football games I've stepped up."
For the moment, there are no opportunities, period, on the field for Tyree. He is in the process of rehabbing a knee injury that required arthroscopic surgery in mid-April.
Tyree said he expects to start running soon and could be ready for the team's July training camp, but stay tuned. He could be a candidate for the Physically Unable to Perform List, which would allow him to recover while others take turns in the lineup.
"The rehab is a process," said Tyree. "I can't say I was excited about having surgery, but at the same time I'm learning how to persevere in different ways. It's like taking the car out for a tune-up."
A six-year veteran, Tyree is a favorite of coach Tom Coughlin -- largely because the guy works hard and rarely screws up. He's what coaches call "accountable," which means they trust him, and there is no way of underselling dependability in today's game.
But Tyree is more than a backup receiver who makes the occasional reception. He is a special-teams standout, too, performing so well he was named to the Pro Bowl in 2005.
Then along came Super Bowl XLII, and the rest you know.