Michael Strahan Says All Bets Are off on His Jersey That’s up for Auction
Hall of Fame defensive end Michael Strahan has thrown a flag on the play. The retired New York Giants great says the jersey currently up for auction can’t possibly be the one he wore in Super Bowl 42, the final game of his illustrious NFL career.
Super Bowl 42 was Michael Strahan’s triumphant farewell
Michael Strahan retired from the New York Giants after recording three tackles and a sack in Super Bowl 42 following the 2007 NFL season. Besides it being Strahan’s swan song, the game was notable for being the New England Patriots’ failed bid at a 19-0 season. The Giants scored a 17-14 victory with the help of David Tyree’s ball-to-the-helmet catch of an Eli Manning pass.
With that as the background, Goldin Auctions in Runnemede, New Jersey, has been accepting bids on Strahan’s jersey from that final game. The red and white jersey comes complete with grass stains from the turf that day in Glendale, Arizona. The auction house said part of its authentication process included matching the stains against photos taken during the game.
The bidding concludes Aug. 22. The original $20,000 price has climbed to $45,000 after nine bids. However, there’s a new wrinkle: Strahan says the jersey up for auction couldn’t possibly be the one he wore in Super Bowl 42.
Michael Strahan is sure he still has his Super Bowl 42 jersey
Michael Strahan says he knows that the jersey up for auction through a New Jersey firm can’t be the one he wore in Super Bowl 42. That’s because he’s positive that jersey is hanging in a frame on a wall in his personal gym.
According to USA Today, Strahan says he stuffed the jersey into his duffel bag after the game and handed it to a friend, who returned it to the player in New Jersey.
“I take it out (of) the bag and the whole thing is wet, still soaking wet and nasty. … The thing still has stains on it from dirt, from Gatorade and the stench if you were to take it out of the frame.”
Michael Strahan
Strahan said the Giants had back-up jerseys on-site. However, he added that his game-worn was in the hands of someone he trusts.
In the other corner is Ken Goldin, founder and CEO of the auction firm. Goldin said two experienced experts compared the photos to the jersey and came away convinced the memorabilia is authentic.
With three days left in the auction, Goldin has not removed the item from its bidding website.
Eli Manning had an awkward memorabilia episode
Regardless of whether the jersey up for auction is authentic, Michael Strahan has done nothing wrong. At worst, he’s been under the mistaken impression that his old jersey has been hanging on a wall for 12 years.
However, the current dispute is sure to revive memories of an awkward situation for the New York Giants. The team dismissed three locker-room employees in 2018 in the aftermath of a lawsuit accusing Eli Manning of complicity in a scheme marketing jerseys and helmets to buyers as game-used.
The lawsuit was settled in May 2018. And the details remained confidential. Manning had denied any wrongdoing.
