Thursday, August 24, 2006

Newest Member of American Legends [David Tyree]

One of the most productive and consistent special teams players in the NFL…Led the team in special teams tackles in each of his 1st 2 seasons and tied for 2nd last year…Specializes in downing punts inside the 5-yard line…Was named to his 1st Pro Bowl after the 2005 season…Continues to develop and contribute as a wide receiver…Has played in 45 games with 4 starts.
2005: Played in 13 regular season games and the NFC Wild Card Game and was again one of the NFL’s finest special teams players…Was selected for the 1st time to the NFC Pro Bowl team and was named the special teams player on the Pro Football Weekly/Professional Football Writers of America All-Pro team…Tied with James Butler for 2nd on the team with 21 special teams tackles (19 solo), 1 one behind team leader Chase Blackburn…Also had 5 receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown – all at San Diego…Missed 3 games with an elbow injury…Had 2 special teams tackles in the NFC’s 23-17 victory over the AFC in the Pro Bowl…Was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after blocking a punt against Philadelphia on Nov. 20, his 1st action after missing three previous 3 games (vs. Washington, at San Francisco and vs. Minnesota) with an elbow injury suffered vs. Denver (10/23)…Helped hold Dante Hall to 3.5-yard average on punt returns and 21.4-yard average on kickoff returns vs. Kansas City (12/17)…Recorded 2 special teams tackles and downed 2 Jeff Feagles punts inside the Dallas 5-yardline vs. Dallas (12/4)…Contributed a team-high 4 special teams tackles at Seattle (11/27)… Blocked Reggie Hodges’ punt with 4:14 remaining in the 2nd quarter vs. Philadelphia (11/20). The Giants recovered the ball at the Philadelphia 1, leading to Eli Manning’s touchdown pass to Amani Toomer…Saw action as the 3rd receiver and on special teams at San Diego (9/25)…Finished with 5 receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown. Scored his 1st touchdown of the season on a 4-yard pass in the 2nd quarter. Had an 18-yard completion to convert a 3-and-10 in the 4th quarter. Also had a team-high 3 special teams tackles.
Off-the-Field Activity: In 2005, David served as a guest speaker at Iselin Youth Football and Cheerleaders Banquet…Attended the Giants’ 2005 Draft Day Party…Accompanied the Mountainside D.A.R.E. department to speak to students about drugs…Participated in the Giants Foundation Golf Outing…Attended the Jay Fund’s “Pigskin Ball” fundraiser…Hosted Special Olympics of New Jersey for a Punt Pass & Kick competition at Giants Stadium…Visited Columbus Elementary School, speaking to 5th grade students about drug use…Made a financial contribution to Habitat for Humanity International’s Katrina Relief Fund…In the past, visited the School Based Youth Services program at Orange High School, where he addressed the students and parents…Visited Giants Academy in Newark, N.J., helping the students serve meals to the under-privileged at the Lighthouse soup kitchen as part of their community service project…Returned to his alma mater, Montclair (N.J.) High School, to speak to the students about academic excellence as a part of NFL High School Tuesday…As a rookie, celebrated Halloween by delivering candy and painted pumpkins to children undergoing cancer treatment at Tomorrows Children's Fund Institute, located in the Don Imus-WFAN Pediatric Center at Hackensack University Medical Center.
Personal: Married (Leilah). They have 2 sons, Teyon (12/16/01) and Josiah (11/5/04)… Son of Thelma and Jesse Tyree…Consumer Studies major… Attended Montclair (N.J.) High…Blue Chip Illustrated All-America...Super Prep, Tom Lemming and Prep Star All Regional selection...Born David Mikel Tyree on Jan. 3, 1980 in Livingston, New Jersey.