Plaxico Burress
A wide receiver whose spectacular Super Bowl catch shattered the Patriots' perfect season and cemented his place in NFL lore.
Born 1977 (age 49)·American football player·Birthday: August 12·Generation X
Biography
Plaxico Burress emerged from Virginia Beach to become a formidable physical presence on the football field. At Michigan State, his blend of size and speed made him a top NFL draft pick for the Pittsburgh Steelers. While his early career showcased his talent, it was his move to the New York Giants that defined his legacy. In the 2007 season, his consistent play helped propel the Giants to Super Bowl XLII, where his 13-yard touchdown reception with 35 seconds left delivered a stunning upset over the previously undefeated New England Patriots. His career was later interrupted by a highly publicized legal incident involving an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound, leading to a prison sentence. He returned to the NFL for brief stints, but his narrative remains forever tied to that one iconic moment under the Arizona lights, a play that reshaped NFL history.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Plaxico was born in 1977, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Plaxico Was Born
The biggest hits of 1977
#1 Movie
Star Wars
Best Picture
Annie Hall
#1 TV Show
Happy Days
Plaxico's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1977Born
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1982Started school
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1990Became a teenager
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Could drive
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1995Could vote
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Turned 21
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2007Turned 30
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 40
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 49 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Caught the game-winning touchdown pass in Super Bowl XLII, defeating the 18-0 New England Patriots.
- Selected 8th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2000 NFL Draft.
- Recorded over 1,000 receiving yards in a season for both the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants.
- His 11 touchdown receptions in 2007 were a key factor in the Giants' Super Bowl run.
Did You Know?
He wore jersey number 17 with the Giants because it was the date of his son's birth.
He played in the same Michigan State receiving corps as fellow NFL player Charles Rogers.
He served 20 months in prison for criminal possession of a weapon after accidentally shooting himself in a New York City nightclub.
“Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games.”
