Chris Myarick scores Giants' only touchdown against his hometown Eagles

Tight end Chris Myarick, who scored the Giants’ only touchdown in a 13-7 victory over the Eagles on Sunday, was born in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, which is nine miles outside Philadelphia.

He played high school ball in nearby Cheltenham, Pennsylvania.

He went to Temple, which is in Philadelphia.

If he didn’t grow up as an Eagles fan, that would be one of the biggest upsets in NFL history.

So getting his first NFL catch and touchdown and doing it against the Eagles had to be an extra special thrill for the 26-year-old, right?

"It would have been just as sweet against any team," Myarick said. "I didn’t really put too much [on] being from Philly, growing up in Philly, didn’t really put too much of that going into this game. Just the next game for me."

Sure. And Myarick probably also doesn’t have an opinion on whether Geno’s, Pat’s or Tony Luke’s has the best cheesesteaks in Philly.

Myarick was signed to the 53-man roster on Wednesday, when the Giants placed special teams player Nate Ebner on injured reserve.

Sunday was Myarick’s eighth NFL game and fifth with the Giants. He appeared in three games with the Dolphins last season. The Giants were without injured tight ends Kyle Rudolph and Kaden Smith.

Myarick’s moment came on first-and-goal from the 1 with the Giants leading 3-0 and 6:55 left in the third quarter.

Daniel Jones threw a play-action pass into traffic to Myarick at the goal line and it took a second or two for the officials to signal touchdown.

That’s because Myarick didn’t secure the ball with his hands — he completed the catch with his legs.

The throw hit the sliding Myarick in the stomach before creeping down his left leg. He held it an inch at best above the turf with his legs before finally getting his left hand under the ball to cradle it for six points.

"Just hold on to it as hard as I can," Myarick said of his plan. "Make sure it doesn’t hit the ground. Kind of secure it. Wasn’t the cleanest catch, but it still counts, so I’ll take it."

Myarick sold the play by blocking at first as if it was going to be a run. He was then able to leak out into open space before Jones made the throw.

"We worked on it all week," he said. "I was glad it got called."

Going from the practice squad to the postgame podium — and getting featured on all the highlight shows because of the nature of his catch — made this a special Sunday for Myarick.

Not because it happened against his hometown team (wink emoji).

"It was crazy for me, personally," Myarick said. "Finally, getting the sign-up [from the practice squad] and that’s the first touchdown of the game. It’s coming to me. That’s kind of a crazy experience."

By Anthony Rieber

anthony.rieber@newsday.comAnthonyRieber

Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.