Phil McConkey Philip Joseph McConkey ( born February 24 , 1957 in Buffalo , New York ) attended Canisius High School , where he played wide receiver for the varsity football team and graduated in the class of 1975 , is a former American football wide receiver who played for the New York Giants ( 1984 – 1988 ) , Green Bay Packers ( 1986 ) , Phoenix Cardinals ( 1989 ) , and San Diego Chargers ( 1989 ) of the National Football League . Football career . Before his NFL career , McConkey played college football at the United States Naval Academy , catching 56 passes for 1 , 028 yards , while also gaining 1 , 039 special teams return yards and scoring 13 touchdowns ( 10 rec , 2 rush , 1 punt return ) . He then served four years in the U . S . Navy as an officer before signing with the Giants as a 27 - year - old rookie . He was the first navy midshipman to join the NFL after four full years of service since Roger Staubach in 1969 . In his six NFL seasons , McConkey was used as a reserve receiver , and frequently returned punts and kickoffs on special teams . Statistically , his best season was in 1985 , when he caught 25 passes for 404 yards , returned 53 punts for 442 yards , and gained 234 yards returning kickoffs . McConkey is best remembered for his performance in Super Bowl XXI after the Giants ' 1986 season , which they won 39 - 20 over the Denver Broncos . In the game , his 25 - yard punt return set up a New York field goal . Then on the Giants next drive , his 44 - yard reception on a flea flicker play gave New York a first down on Denver ' s one - yard line , setting up a touchdown on the next play . In the fourth quarter , McConkey caught a six - yard touchdown reception after the pass bounced off the fingertips of tight end Mark Bavaro . Overall , McConkey contributed 50 receiving yards , 25 punt return yards , and one touchdown in the Giants victory . He also caught a 28 - yard touchdown pass in New York ' s divisional playoff win over the San Francisco 49ers a few weeks earlier . McConkey was a fan favorite because during home games he would occasionally run out on to the field before the game or after halftime waving a towel inspiring the crowd . While running off the field during the celebration following the victory in Super Bowl XXI , McConkey spotted a handgun on the field . He picked up the weapon , which was subsequently taken by a security officer who in turn returned it to the police officer who was unaware it was missing . The officer had lost the weapon while struggling with a fan who had jumped onto the field . McConkey finished his 6 NFL seasons with 67 receptions for 1 , 113 yards and two touchdowns , 228 punt returns for 1 , 832 yards , and 69 kickoff returns for 1 , 324 yards in 84 games . Political life . In 1990 , McConkey ran for the United States House of Representatives for the 12th Congressional District of New Jersey , encompassing parts of Hunterdon , Mercer , Somerset , Morris and Warren counties . The seat was a heavily Republican district and was being vacated by incumbent Republican Rep . Jim Courter . In the Republican primary , McConkey was defeated by Dick Zimmer , who won the recently vacated seat in the November General Election . Zimmer received 37 . 7 % of the vote to McConkey ' s 30 . 8 % . Future congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen , the scion of a powerful political family , would finish third . There are no run - off elections in New Jersey .