Law and Vilma to Represent the Jets in Hawaii

The best players from the American Football Conference meet the best players from the National Football Conference Sunday at Aloha Stadium as the NFL plays its final game of the season. Both veteran cornerback Ty Law and second-year middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma will represent the Jets this weekend in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Law is making his fifth career appearance in the Pro Bowl, having also represented the AFC as a New England Patriot following the 1998, 2001, 2002 and 2003 seasons. He finished tied for first in the league with 10 interceptions and added 65 tackles (54 solo) and 13 passes defensed.

“It’s kind of bittersweet because I had great expectations for our team coming into the season and it’s very unfortunate that we’re not in the post-season,” Law said after his selection. “On the other hand I’m very, very happy with my individual play.”




The trip to Hawaii completes an impressive comeback for Law. In 2004, the Michigan alum started the first seven games of the season before being sidelined with a broken bone in his foot that kept him out for the remainder of the season and the Patriots’ Super Bowl victory. The Jets signed Law in early August, and he once again went back to his stealing ways.

Law’s nomination marks the first time the Jets have sent a defensive back to the Pro Bowl since Aaron Glenn was selected in 1998. He now has 46 career interceptions and earlier this year became only the 72nd player in the NFL since 1969 to record 40 or more interceptions in regular season play.

Just over two weeks ago, the NFL announced that Vilma would join Law on the AFC team. Vilma was chosen to fill a vacancy left by Miami LB Zack Thomas, who pulled out of the all-star game due to nagging ankle and shoulder injuries.

"It’s an honor for me to be selected to play in the Pro Bowl," Vilma said. "It was one of my goals when I set my sights on playing in the National Football League and I am excited to play with all the great players that have also been selected."

Vilma, a 6-1, 230-pound natural, led the NFL in tackles and his 187 stops set a Jets’ single-season record.

“Number one, he’s a smart guy on and off the field,” said Jets linebacker coach Bob Sutton during the season of Vilma. “He has the unique ability to be able to study things and gather information, put it into compartments, and then use it when he needs to. His greatest asset is he can relate what a team is doing to something else he knows, so that he can adjust on the fly.”
Two seasons into this NFL career and Vilma is only 23-years-old. One figures he’ll make a couple of more Pro Bowl trips.

“His future is extremely bright. If he wants to continue to put in the time and effort he can be whatever he wants in this league,” Sutton said.