The New York Giants' decision to hire a former player who made one of the most famous plays in franchise history was criticized by a gay rights group over the player's previously stated opposition to gay marriage.

David Tyree, whose "helmet catch" against the then-undefeated New England Patriots in the Super Bowl was a pivotal moment in the Giants' victory in 2008, was hired Tuesday as the team's new director of player development. The Human Rights Campaign blasted the hire because of past statements made by Tyree, including a 2011 statement in which he said he would trade his famous catch if it meant homosexuals would no longer have the right to marry.

HRC president Chad Griffin issued a statement in which he made it clear that views expressed by Tyree three years ago were in some way relevant to his eligibility to work for his former team:

When did Tyree decide to be straight? The idea that someone can change their sexual orientation or gender identity is ludicrous, and the New York Giants are risking their credibility by hiring someone who publicly advocates this junk science. His opposition to basic legal equality aside, David Tyree's proselytizing of such dangerous practices goes against the positive work the Giants organization has done in recent years.