NEW YORK — Back together with former Giants offensive linemen Chris Snee and Shaun O’Hara, Eli Manning had a simple question:

“What were y’all doing?”

Manning was referring to the miracle play in Super Bowl XLII in which he escaped the grasps of two Patriots pass rushers, unleashed a downfield desperation heave and watched David Tyree somehow secure the ball against his helmet.

The instant-classic catch remains the ultimate highlight in the Giants’ 17-14 upset of Tom Brady and his previously undefeated Patriots. More than 16 years later, Manning can’t help but point out the blatant lack of blocking on that play.

“It worked up just like coach [Tom] Coughlin drew it up,” Manning, a two-time Super Bowl champion, joked Thursday night at a celebration of the Giants’ upcoming 100th season.

“He said, ‘Nobody block anybody. Eli, be the great athlete that you are, run around, break a couple tackles, and then throw it to Tyree’s helmet in the middle of the field, surrounded by three or four defensive players.’ And it worked.”

The comical retelling was one many memories shared at “Giants 100: A Night with Legends,” a nearly three-hour event filled with laughs, insight and appreciation from the more than 20 franchise staples who took the stage at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Tyree, Coughlin, Bill Parcells, John Mara, Lawrence Taylor, Phil Simms, Carl Banks, Harry Carson, Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck, Brian Daboll, Joe Schoen, Victor Cruz, Tiki Barber and Amani Toomer were among the others who attended the decade-by-decade look back at an organization with eight league championships and four Super Bowls since its inception in 1925.

The comeback win over the 18-0 Patriots was a frequent talking point.

“It’s funny, a lot of Giants run up [to me]: ‘I knew you were gonna win that Super Bowl!’ Stop lying,” Strahan said Thursday. “I mean, I didn’t even believe my parents when they said, ‘You’re gonna win!’ I think we believed it. We were so confident, and we had hit our stride.”

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