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New York Giants wide receiver David Tyree Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

NFC East one-hit wonders

By Bruce Ewing | Last updated 6/22/23

While some players turn an outstanding season into lengthy and impressive careers, others simply fade into obscurity. Here are notable one-hit wonders from each NFC East team.

Dallas Cowboys: Larry Brown, cornerback

With future Hall of Famers Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith on the roster, Dallas's trip to Super Bowl XXX wasn’t much of a surprise. Their Super Bowl MVP, on the other hand, certainly was.

Brown intercepted Steelers quarterback Neil O’Donnell twice, setting up two touchdowns in the 27-17 win over Pittsburgh. In doing so, he became the first defensive back to win a Super Bowl MVP since Miami’s Jake Scott, who had two interceptions in Super Bowl VII.

A free agent the following year, Brown signed a five-year, $12.5 million contract with Oakland. But he made only one interception in 12 games over two seasons with the Raiders before finishing his career in Dallas in 1998.

New York Giants: David Tyree, wide receiver

During the 2007 regular season, Tyree caught only four passes for 35 yards and no touchdowns. In Super Bowl XLII, he had the game of his life and what some consider the greatest catch in NFL history.

Early in the fourth quarter, Tyree caught his first touchdown pass of the season to give the Giants a 10-7 lead. The Patriots regained the lead with 2:42 remaining, but on New York’s final drive, quarterback Eli Manning scrambled out of pressure and launched the ball downfield. Tyree made a leaping, circus catch, pinning the ball to his helmet while New England's Rodney Harrison desperately tried to knock it loose.

8️⃣5️⃣ days until Giants football with a David Tyree touchdown and a helmet catch pic.twitter.com/aDUfWGbG3x
— Talkin’ Giants (@TalkinGiants) June 17, 2023

The 32-yard play was so spectacular that it overshadowed the winning touchdown catch by Plaxico Burress four plays later. The catch would be Tyree’s last in the NFL. He missed all of 2008 with knee and hamstring injuries and the Giants released him before the 2009 season.

Philadelphia Eagles: Bobby Hoying, QB

Unlike Brown and Tyree, Hoying never made it to a Super Bowl. But for a short time in 1997, Philadelphia fans thought they had it made with the third-round quarterback from Ohio State.

After taking over for Ty Detmer late in 1997, Hoying won two of his first three starts. His best game was a 44-42 win over Cincinnati in which he threw for 313 yards and four touchdowns. Unfortunately for Hoying, that would be the highlight of his career.

The Eagles didn’t win another game all season. Hoying went on to lose seven straight games and nine of his next 10 starts. In 1998, he threw 224 passes with nine interceptions and no touchdown passes. In 1999, the Eagles drafted Donovan McNabb and traded Hoying to the Raiders.

Washington Commanders: Timmy Smith, RB

With starting running back George Rogers nursing a sprained ankle, Washington turned to Smith, a little-used fifth-round rookie to carry the load in Super Bowl XXII. In his first career start, Smith set a Super Bowl record by running for 204 yards. He also had two TDs, including a 58-yard run as Washington beat Denver, 42-10.

Smith believed he had earned a new contract in 1988 and thus skipped offseason workouts and training camp. He wanted to be the highest-paid running back in the league, but eventually returned to camp when the team refused to give him a new deal.

Smith, however, never built on his early success. He had only eight more starts with Washington and one with Dallas before getting released in 1990.

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