Burress almost didn't play

NEIL BEST; BOB GLAUBER

February 5, 2008

A Giants official confirmed last night that Plaxico Burress - who caught the winning touchdown pass with 35 seconds left in Super Bowl XLII - injured his left knee when he fell in a hotel shower Jan. 28.

Burress reportedly suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament. That injury, combined with his chronic right ankle injury, put his status for the Super Bowl in jeopardy last week. "If anyone could ever know," receivers coach Mike Sullivan said Sunday, "how close he came to not playing. He shouldn't have been out there."

Coach Tom Coughlin had said that with each succeeding day, the swelling in the knee lessened. It was not known until yesterday that the injury stemmed from a shower accident.

What a way to go out

As players, coaches and assorted other celebrants in the winning locker room basked in the glow of the Giants' Super Bowl XLII victory, John Johnson quietly got dressed and reflected on his excellent timing.

Johnson had decided the game would be his last after 60 years on the team's training staff.

Good way to go out? "Absolutely fantastic, as far as I'm concerned," he said.

Why retire? "I'm getting a little old," he said.

How old? "Oh, I don't know," he said. "About 90. So I think it is time for me to go easy. Walking up steps and hills starts to get you a little bit. But it was a great game, great for me and a lot of other people."

- NEIL BEST

Biggest upset ever?

Former Cowboys personnel director Gil Brandt, an analyst for NFL.com, considers the Giants' win the biggest upset in Super Bowl history. Bigger even than the Jets' win over the heavily favored Colts in Super Bowl III.

"I think this one tops it," Brandt said.

How so?

"Because the Jets beat [quarterback] Earl Morrall," he said. "The Giants beat Tom Brady."

The Colts started backup Earl Morrall, as they had much of the season, because of an injury to Johnny Unitas. The Colts inserted Unitas late in the game.

- Bob GLAUBER