HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) – Ty Law knew Darrelle Revis could play in the NFL when he saw his moves – on the basketball court.
Law, a longtime family friend of the New York Jets’ rookie cornerback, was already a Pro Bowl defensive back when Revis was becoming a star athlete in his own right in football and basketball at Aliquippa High School in Pennsylvania.
“I didn’t get to see him as much on the football field until I got home and saw some of the tape, heard about him or watched him in college because I was playing on the field,” said Law, in his 13th NFL season and second with the Kansas City Chiefs. “During the offseason, his work ethic was phenomenal and you knew the guy had a chance because he wasn’t a knucklehead.”
Law grew up in Aliquippa, along with Revis’ uncle, former NFL defensive lineman Sean Gilbert, and remembers Revis as a talented and athletic youngster. In high school, Revis averaged 22.8 points per game as a senior on the court and played quarterback, wide receiver, defensive back and was a kick returner on the football field.
“I’ve known Darrelle all of his life,” Law said. “I knew him when he was a little pup.”
Revis is all grown up now and having a solid season for the Jets, who host Law’s Chiefs on Sunday.
“It’s going to be fun on Sunday,” said Revis, who bought 12 game tickets for family and friends, including Gilbert. “I’ve always watched him and seen him and now I’m going to be on the field with him. I’ll be watching him when he goes against our offense.”
Revis, who wears No. 24 like Law, has 86 tackles, three interceptions and a team-high 12 passes defensed while taking on some of the league’s best wide receivers each week.
“He’s aggressive and he’s not going to back down from anybody,” said Law, who has 40 tackles and two interceptions. “That’s what I like about him. That’s something that you can’t teach. It was probably bred into us from our hometown, how we approach the game. He’s an all-around corner.”
The Jets and coach Eric Mangini certainly thought so, when they traded up last April to draft him with the 14th overall pick. Mangini also had no qualms about starting him right away.
“A lot of situations that I’ve been put in are probably kind of tough for a rookie, but I came out, I think, on top,” Revis said. “Mangini wanted it that way, so when I get into those situations against great receivers, I know what to do and what to expect.”
He’s had a few assists from Law along the way. The veteran has left voicemails for Revis throughout the season, offering tips on how to defend some of the game’s best receivers.
“I won’t give up my secrets, I’m still playing,” Law said with a chuckle. “When I’m out of the game, I can tell you that. They were little pointers, being that I played a lot of guys that he was playing. If I could have given him a mental edge going into the game, what to look out for, I would do that for him.”
Revis has taken on his share of receiving superstars this season, including New England’s Randy Moss twice, Dallas’ Terrell Owens, Cincinnati’s Chad Johnson and Cleveland’s Braylon Edwards.
“As he gets more mature in the game and as he learns to pick up on some little nuances throughout,” Law said, “you’re looking at an All-Pro.”
Revis planned to speak to Law at some point this week, but didn’t think the conversation would include tips on covering Kansas City’s Dwayne Bowe, who leads NFL rookies with 69 catches for 982 yards.
“No, I don’t think so,” Revis said, laughing. “But if he wants to, that would be great, but I would think not.”
Law, known to speak his mind throughout his career, hasn’t talked any trash – yet – with Revis in the week leading up to their matchup.
“Ty, he says what he has to say, but our relationship is not like that,” Revis said. “It’s a family-friend type. If he wanted to, he could be in our family. It’s just something like that. That’s just how the town of Aliquippa is. It’s small, everybody knows everybody, my grandma knows his mother real well. It’s a family relationship.”
Revis and Law are just two of the prominent athletes the town in western Pennsylvania has produced in recent years, including a few Hall of Famers. So who’s the most successful NFL player to come from there?
“You would have to say (Tony) Dorsett, being a Heisman Trophy winner and a Hall of Famer with a Super Bowl ring,” Law said. “He definitely had to be the most popular along with Mike Ditka, but it’s a different position, as offensive and defensive guys. Hopefully, we can have that debate because I plan on playing a little longer and Darrelle has a whole career ahead of him. We’ll see.”
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