After Giants WR David Tyree’s famous, game-saving catch in Super Bowl XLII, the previously unknown wide receiver was hailed as a breakout star in the making. Eli Manning called him a “gamer,” the catch itself was voted the most memorable play in Super Bowl history, and Tyree seemed destined for big money either with the Giants or elsewhere. In a major media market like New York, stardom and celebrity seemed like a perfect step for the man who had already overcome so much.

Unfortunately, that overnight success story never quite happened. Eighteen months after David Tyree seemed to cement himself as a New York Giants legend, the hero of Super Bowl XLII is now unemployed.

It wasn’t really his fault, to be fair. The NFL is not an easy way to make a living, and a 2008 training camp injury to Tyree’s knee put him out of commission all last season, and he hasn’t been healthy enough to return to full strength this year. For a guy that was already a marginal wide receiver, Super Bowl heroics notwithstanding, a bum knee was the kiss of death for his Giants career. Of course, he’s not ready to hang ‘em up just yet, as his agent told the NEWARK STAR-LEDGER:

“He’s obviously disappointed, but we’re confident someone else will see the value he brings on special teams and as a wide receiver. We’ll see how things go here in the next few days.”

Obviously, it would be great to see Tyree get healthy and resume his career; after all, he’s only 29. But at this point it looks like a long shot. Here’s hoping his notoriety lasts long enough for him to capitalize on it in the NYC area.