Ty Law discusses future, Patriots

Former Patriots cornerback Ty Law was on ESPN’s NFL Live program yesterday and was asked a variety of questions ranging from his playing future to his thought on his former team, the New England Patriots. If not for Comcast going out yesterday in my area I would have had this for you guys much sooner. Luckily, if you missed it yesterday, ESPNBoston.com has video of Law’s appearance on their main page and it’s definitely worth the view. Law has a bright TV career if he chooses to pursue that avenue when he decides to retire.

Ty said that he has an opportunity to play for a team (he didn’t say which one) but is waiting until July to see how his body feels before making a decision. In the meantime, he has been working out on his own to see if he can go another season. Law has spent 15 years in the league (10 with the Pats) and is certainly right around that retirement age (he’s 36). He spent last season with the Denver Broncos and has also played with the New York Jets and the Kansas City Chiefs since leaving New England.

Ty was also asked how he feels about the Patriots and whether their championship window has closed. Law said that he felt the window was closing but that the team has a shot as long as Tom Brady is quarterbacking the team. He feels that the defensive leadership is lacking in the locker room because the Pats lost too many leaders too quickly. According to Law, there is no one left on the team to show the “Patriot Way” of doing things on and off the field. Technically, Ty Warren and Vince Wilfork are the only players on the defensive side of the ball who won a Super Bowl in New England. Wilfork has started to become that vocal leader on the defense since his future was set when he signed a long-term contract earlier in the offseason.

With this possibly being the end Ty Law’s playing career, Mike Reiss from ESPNBoston.com feels that Law is a “slam-dunk” Patriots-Hall-of-Famer. He shares some of Law’s stats from his Patriot days:

Games played: 144
Interceptions: 36 (tied for franchise record)
Interception return yardage: 583 (franchise record)
Interceptions returned for TDs: 6 (franchise record)
Super Bowl appearances: 4
Super Bowl championships: 3

Since leaving New England, he’s played in an additional 62 games and snagged 17 more interceptions. Beyond the Patriots’ Hall of Fame, is he an NFL Hall of Fame candidate? Of course I may be biased, but I think he deserves to be in the NFL Hall of Fame. He’s a 5-time Pro Bowler and was selected as an All-Pro twice, in addition to winning 3 Super Bowls (though he did not play in the third due to injury). He played some of his best football in the post season when it matters most. The plays that stand out for me are his 3 interceptions of Peyton Manning in the snow in the 2003 playoffs and the INT he returned for a touchdown in the Pats’ first Super Bowl Championship in 2001.