The Helmet Catch was an American football play involving New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning and wide receiver David Tyree in the final two minutes of Super Bowl XLII on February 3, 2008.

It featured Manning narrowly escaping a sack from three New England Patriots defensive players and throwing a forward pass, followed by Tyree making a leaping catch by pressing the ball against his helmet.

[4] Although Tyree was seldom used as a receiver during the regular season, he caught the Giants' first touchdown of the Super Bowl early in the fourth quarter, giving his team a 10–7 lead.

On third and 5 from the Giants' 44-yard line, Manning took the snap in the shotgun formation and immediately faced pressure from the Patriots defensive ends Richard Seymour, Jarvis Green, and linebacker Adalius Thomas.

Linebackers Mike Vrabel and Junior Seau attempted to sack Manning, but he was able to throw the ball towards David Tyree.

Starting cornerback Asante Samuel was on the left side of the field, walking to the line of scrimmage right before the snap to jam Plaxico Burress.

Free safety James Sanders and cornerbacks Asante Samuel and Ellis Hobbs were there, but neither had the time to assist Harrison in trying to prevent Tyree from making the catch.

In 2009, readers of the New York Daily News voted on nicknaming the play "Catch-42" as the favored name in reference to Super Bowl XLII and the kind of coverage the Patriots deployed against the Giants' four-receiver set.

Nicks caught the ball by cradling it against his head, which prompted commentators Joe Buck and Troy Aikman to note the similarity to Tyree's catch.

The Giants would go on to beat the Packers 37–20,[10][11] as well as win another Super Bowl against the New England Patriots (where Mario Manningham made a sideline catch compared to Tyree's grab).

[14][15] NFL Films founder Steve Sabol compared Manning to Fran Tarkenton and said that the play "defied logic, history, gravity and just about anything else you care to mention".