Aliquippa Native Ty Law Inducted Into Pro Football Hall Of Fame

CANTON (AP) — Ty Law has become the first Pro Football Hall of Famer from New England’s standout defense that won three Super Bowls in the early 2000s.  Law, one of the most versatile and physical cornerbacks the NFL has seen, was inducted Saturday night.  “Hopefully, that’ll open up the door, finally letting one of us in, and hopefully that opens up the flood gates for a lot of other deserving guys to one day be Hall of Famers, as well,” Law said.  Law, whose uncle is Hall of Fame running back Tony Dorsett, was selected for five Pro Bowl teams and was a two-time All-Pro. He finished with 53 career interceptions, twice leading the NFL in that category, had more than 800 tackles, 169 passes defensed, five sacks, and scored seven times.  He was a first-round pick by New England out of Michigan in 1995 and played 15 seasons in the NFL, 10 with the Patriots. He also had two one-year stints with the New York Jets and with Kansas City, and one with Denver.  Perhaps Law’s most noteworthy game came in the 2002 Super Bowl, when his hard-hitting style upset Rams receivers and threw off the “Greatest Show on Turf. That was emblematic of his attacking style – and soon after led to rules changes limiting how physical defenders could be against receivers.  Law was presented by his friend, Byron Washington, and paid hefty tribute to his hometown of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, which also produced Hall of Famer Mike Ditka. “We are a community built on love, strength, struggle, and that Quiptown pride,” he said. “We did it, Aliquippa. We are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.” Law joins fellow corner Champ Bailey, Pat Bowlen, Gil Brandt, Tony Gonzalez, Ed Reed, Kevin Mawae and Johnny Robinson in the Class of 2019.