FOXBORO, Mass. — Former New England Patriots cornerback Ty Law is one 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2017.
On Thursday, Law’s former coach offered a glowing review of the retired defensive back.
“Great player,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said. “(There were) really no weaknesses in Ty’s game. Strong, physical tackler, jammed receivers, good coverage player, great hands, interceptor. Really enjoyed coaching him in ’96 as a position coach and just spending a lot of individual time with him as his coach.”
Law played for New England from 1995 to 2004 and was a part of the franchise’s first three Super Bowl championship teams. Several of his greatest career highlights came in the postseason, including his pick-six against the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI and his three-interception performance against Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in the 2003 AFC Championship Game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS7lq1us118
The Patriots’ smothering of Manning and his receivers during that game prompted the NFL to place added emphasis on illegal contact penalties in future seasons — a rule tweak Belichick views as a testament to Law’s dominance.
“When you start changing the rules because of the way he plays, there’s probably something to be said for that,” Belichick said. “I know they didn’t ‘change them,’ change them, but we all know what happened.”
After leaving the Patriots, Law played five more seasons, suiting up for the New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos before calling it a career in 2010. He was a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro who twice led the NFL in interceptions and was selected to the Patriots’ All-1990s and All-2000s Teams. He’s also a member of the Patriots’ Hall of Fame.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
