5 Moments that Defined Ty Laws Hall of Fame Career
6/24/2019
To celebrate Ty Law’s upcoming enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, we’re highlighting the biggest moments that made the secondary stalwart worthy of a Gold Jacket.
Law Drafted by the New England Patriots
When: April 22, 1995
There’s something special about the right player fitting the right franchise.
When Ty Law was preparing for the 1995 NFL Draft, he was mainly competing against Tyrone Poole — the other top secondary prospect.
Poole wound up being selected by the Carolina Panthers with the 22nd pick in the draft and Law was then taken with the very next pick by the New England Patriots. In the Patriots system, Law was given the time to develop his game while still making an impact in his first handful of seasons as a pro.
As fate would have it, Poole and Law would become teammates in 2003 and won two Super Bowls rings together.
Law Leads League in Interceptions
When: 1998 Season
In his fourth season in the NFL, Law made the jump that turned him into one of the best defenders in the league.
Using his mixture of physicality and technical prowess, Law led the league with nine interceptions, setting a then career-high mark and earning his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors. The tally also tied Law for the Patriots’ record for most interceptions in a single season.
Pick-Six in the 2002 Super Bowl
When: February 2, 2002
Defense wins championships, even against “The Greatest Show on Turf.”
In the 2002 Super Bowl against the St. Louis Rams, Law pulled off a play that helped kickstart the Patriots dynasty into existence. With less than nine minutes remaining in the second quarter, the Rams and quarterback Kurt Warner held a 3-0 lead and had the ball on their own 39-yard line.
As Warner dropped back on a pass play, Mike Vrabel hurried into the pocket uncontested and forced Warner to try and hit Isaac Bruce on a corner route. The ball had too much air on it, allowing Law to get right under it and bring the ball back over 40 yards for the score.
The pick-six gave the Patriots their first lead and breathed life into an offense that was fledgling through the first quarter. It also was a major catalyst in the Patriots earning their first Super Bowl ring.
Law Picks Off Peyton Manning 3 Times
When: January 18, 2004
The rivalry between Peyton Manning’s Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots has been well documented over the years and this chapter may have been one of the most incendiary early chapters.
The two titanic forces met in the 2003 AFC Championship game, with both sides riding an unbelievable amount of momentum. New England was aiming to reach its second Super Bowl in three years, while the Colts came into Foxboro with an offense that hadn’t turned the ball over, or even punted, in their first two playoff games.
But the Colt’s offense was brought to an abrupt stop by Law and company. Law picked Manning off three times in the game, dominating the coverage assignment against Marvin Harrison, Manning’s favorite target.
In total, Manning threw four interceptions and the Patriots won, 24-14, to advance to a meeting with the Carolina Panthers.
First Stint with the New York Jets
When: 2005 Season
Ty Law will always be associated with the Patriots, but his first season with the New York Jets in 2005 is one that helped build his Hall of Fame resume.
Maybe it was the change of scenery, or maybe it was the desire to prove that it wasn’t the Patriots system that was propelling him to success.
In his first season in New York, Law intercepted a career-high 10 passes, accumulating an immaculate 195 return yards and one score. The prolific season earned Law his third and final First-Team All-Pro selection.
Be There for Ty Law’s Ultimate Hall of Fame Moment
On August 3, Ty Law goes into immortality along with the rest of the Class of 2019. Be there to see one of the greatest cornerbacks in the modern era take the stage and be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame with an Official Ticket Package from HOF Experiences. Select between single and multi-day packages, featuring exclusive parties and autograph sessions, for the ultimate experience at 2019 Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls.
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