Former New York Giants David Tyree and Ike Hilliard each retired as Giants today, and each spoke to the media about what doing so meant to them.
Here is part of Tyree's statement.
I never really saw my career even happening to begin with and once it did get off to a start it was kind of a fairy tale ride for a kid out of Essex County and the story couldn't have been written any better.
Tyree, of course, will always be a part of Giants' lore for the Helmet Catch in Super Bowl XLII. He spent seven years with the team and made the Pro Bowl in 2005 as a special teams player.
Here is part of Hilliard's statement.
I wouldn't change a thing, man, especially in terms of how I played the game. There would be so many things I look back in hindsight and say ‘I wish I would have done things a little bit differently' in terms of how I prepared, some of the things dealing with the media and certain teammates, etc., but as far as what I left on the grass, I did the best I could on a quarter by quarter basis. Whatever is said about my career and whatever opinion people have, so be it. But as far as everything on the grass, I'm very comfortable with what I did.
Hlliard played hard, played hurt and played well throughout his 12-year career -- the first eight seasons spent with the Giants. He caught 368 passes for the Giants from 1997-2004. He is justifiably proud of his career.