This story appears in the May 20, 2019, issue of Sports Illustrated. For more great storytelling and in-depth analysis, subscribe to the magazine—and get up to 94% off the cover price. Click here for more.
In the spring of 2012, three-time Super Bowl champ Ty Law—three years removed from his All-Pro career at cornerback—needed someone to build a deck for his Lincoln, R.I., home. So he cold-called Rob Arnold, a local contractor whose flier he’d received in the mail. A few days later Arnold showed up with his crew and got to work.