Patriots Hall of Famer Chosen for Pregame Honor vs. Texans

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — When the New England Patriots take the Gillette Stadium field for their Divisional Round clash with the Houston Texans on Jan. 18, they will have a bit of extra support from a Pats’ all-time great.

As the man, himself, revealed during a recent appearance on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show,” former Patriots cornerback and franchise legend Ty Law will be the Keeper of the Light for the AFC Divisional Round game against the Houston Texans.

“The Keeper of the Light ‘Gods’ were listening to the show … and guess who the ‘Keeper of the Light’ is going to be this week,” Law asked to a raucous response from those in studio. “I’m looking forward to it … it will be my first time … We’re about to turn it up!”

The Keeper of the Light is a new Patriots tradition which began in 2023 — where an honored individual rings the fog bell atop the 22-story lighthouse overlooking Gillette Stadium to kick off game day in Foxborough. The pregame ritual commemorates the first known fog bell in the United States being placed at the Beavertail Lighthouse in Jamestown, Rhode Island in 1829. Law, as noted by OnSI’s Ethan Hurwitz, will become the fourth Patriots Hall of Famer to ring the bell this season, and the seventh all time.

9/10/23: Tom Brady (inaugural Keeper of the Light)
10/22/23: Dante Scarnecchia
10/13/24: Andre Tippett
10/21/25: Julian Edelman
12/1/25: Willie McGinest
1/11/26: Vince Wilfork
1/18/26: Ty Law

Ty Law Will Be Forever Revered in Patriots Folklore

Unknown date, 2002; Unknown location, USA; FILE PHOTO; New England Patriots defensive back Ty Law (24) carries the ball. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-Imagn Images | RVR Photos-Imagn Images

Following a standout college career with the Michigan Wolverines — during which he earned first-team All-American honors — Law was selected by the Patriots in the first round of the 1995 NFL draft.

During his 10 seasons in New England, Law received four Pro Bowl selections and two first-team All-Pro honors. A three-time Super Bowl winner with the Patriots, he also holds the franchise record for interceptions. Law spent his final five seasons as a member of the New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, and Denver Broncos, earning a fifth Pro Bowl selection with the Jets.

Ranking 24th in NFL career interceptions, he twice led the league in picks during the 1998 and 2005 seasons. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019.

Law finished his career having started 189 of his 203 games played, while compiling 845 total tackles, 108 passes-defensed and 53 interceptions — seven of which he returned for touchdowns. The Aliquippa, PA native is perhaps best-known for his interception of St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner in Super Bowl XXXVI — which he returned 47 yards to score the first touchdown of the game as the Patriots won 20–17.

Nearly a quarter-century later, Law will act as a pseudo-master of ceremonies for what the Patriots hope will be another step toward their seventh Super Bowl championship. Despite lacking a more extensive and storied history of contentious clashes, the Patriots' rivalry with the Texans has the makings of a modern-day classic. The teams have played each other 15 times (including two postseason games), with the Pats winning 11 games and the Texans winning four.

This game will mark the third meeting between the Patriots and Texans in the Divisional Round of the playoffs — the previous two coming in 2013 (a 41-28 Patriots victory) and again in 2017, which resulted in a 34-16 win for New England. Though the two teams did not play each other during the regular season, Houston and New England last faced off in Oct. 2024 — a matchup won by the Texans by a final score of 41-21.

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