Super Bowl-winning WR David Tyree shares powerful story with Kentucky football

David Tyree will forever be remembered in NFL history for coming down with arguably the most miraculous catch in postseason history. But in the time leading up to that moment, he had to overcome layers and layers of adversity.

Earlier this week, Tyree, who was part of the 2007 New York Giants that beat the then-undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, was invited to speak in front of the Kentucky football team. Now 43 years old, the former NFL wide receiver shared his story with the Wildacts, taking them behind the scenes of what really happened ahead of that famous "helmet catch" that allowed the Giants to march down the field in the final 60 seconds to complete the comeback against Tom Brady's Patriots.

While fans will always remember Tyree pinning Eli Manning's hail mary heave to the top of his helmet, ultimately helping the Giants win a championship, most don't know that he was dealing with a wrist injury at the time, or that his mother passed away a little over a month ahead of the Super Bowl, or that he had the worst practice of his entire pro career the Friday before making that catch.

But that's what Tyree came to UK to explain. If you have the determination, you can overcome any obstacle. While it might not be on the biggest stage in all of football, it can happen in ways equally important in your own life. Adversity is everywhere, but it's how we deal with it that can define us. That's the message Tyree was sharing.

"I know everybody won't have a miracle catch, but everybody can have their own miracle moment. But it's gonna take the resolve, it's gonna take the determination, it's gonna take the discipline, it's gonna take that good ole fashioned grit," Tyree told the Kentucky players seated in front of him.

Tyree played just six years in the NFL, but the impact he had on the league with that catch will never go away. He finished with 650 career receiving yards and four touchdowns, making a name for himself on special teams, which earned him a Pro Bowl selection in 2005. Coming into Super Bowl XLII, he had just four catches for 35 yards and no receptions on the season but caught his only touchdown of the year in that game before hauling in the historic pass from Manning down the stretch.

Right before retiring in 2010, Tyree signed a one-day contract with the Giants so he could end his career with the franchise where it all began.