Pittsburgh Steeler Safety Troy Polamalu Retires

[jmt57]

Like him or hate him as the face of a conference rival, Troy Polamalu was one of the best safeties of the 2000's and will likely go in to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Polamalu went to eight Pro Bowls and was the Defensive Player of the Year in 2010.

Polamalu retires from football - Uniontown Herald-Standard

Troy Polamalu called Dan Rooney last night to inform him he was retiring from football.

The Steelers had asked Polamalu to retire in February, but he resisted until the realization came upon him in church this week, the Holy Week of the Greek Orthodox Church.

“It’s all about family,” said Polamalu in a phone interview. “I live here in Pittsburgh now, and since the end of the season I’ve had a chance to enjoy my family on a level I never had before. It was awesome.”

Polamalu retires after 12 seasons, in which the eight-time Pro Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro played in 158 regular-season games, 15 playoff games and three Super Bowls. In those games, the Steelers’ strong safety made 710 tackles, intercepted 35 passes, forced 13 fumbles, recovered seven fumbles, scored four touchdowns and won two championships.​

Report: Troy Polamalu Has Revelation In Church, Retires | Deadspin

 

[Galeb]

Does that mean 6 more weeks of winter?

 

[varjao]

Good luck Troy.

 

[Clonamery]

Played with his heart but led with his head.

Good luck.

 

[Kontradiction]

It's a shame. I was looking forward to watching Brady torch him again this year. Best of luck to him and thanks for doing his part to make that 2005 Divisional game against Indy so memorable, even as a fan that disliked both teams.

 

[glm]

He was a hell of a player... even though Tommy always had his way with him

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Brady's #s will drop a bit this season without his victim Troy at safety.

 

[neuronet]

Love his attitude and intensity. End of an era for Pittsburgh's defense.

 

[Ivan]

Great player. 1st ballot HOF

 

[IcyPatriot]

Loved watching him play ... when it wasn't against us ...

Great player ...... hope his adjustment away from playing goes well.

 

[NYPatsFan]

Great player. 1st ballot HOF

Serious question here.. why do people say he's a 1st ballot HOF player? I lived in Pittsburgh for a while and I've seen him play a lot of games. Polamalu never quit on a play and he played with a lot of intensity, that alone separates him from many players in the NFL, but it doesn't make him a HOFer.

Back when Pitt had a strong interior defense, they covered up a lot of Polamalu's adventures in center field because the QB didn't have time to find receivers down field. As Patriots fans, we've seen Brady torch him year after year, even when Pitt had a very good defense.

Is it because he played for Pitt or the hair or just the intensity with which he played? I don't get it. He always seemed to me like a guy who wasn't big enough to play linebacker but wanted to hit like a LB, even though he was a safety. I think this is why he cheated in coverage hoping to get close enough to the line to make a LB like play.

Polamalu is a very good player, maybe even a borderline HOF player, but I'm not sure he should be considered a lock based on his play. Pro Bowl appearances are popularity contests, not recognition of greatness.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Serious question here.. why do people say he's a 1st ballot HOF player? I lived in Pittsburgh for a while and I've seen him play a lot of games. Polamalu never quit on a play and he played with a lot of intensity, that alone separates him from many players in the NFL, but it doesn't make him a HOFer.

Back when Pitt had a strong interior defense, they covered up a lot of Polamalu's adventures in center field because the QB didn't have time to find receivers down field. As Patriots fans, we've seen Brady torch him year after year, even when Pitt had a very good defense.

Is it because he played for Pitt or the hair or just the intensity with which he played? I don't get it. He always seemed to me like a guy who wasn't big enough to play linebacker but wanted to hit like a LB, even though he was a safety. I think this is why he cheated in coverage hoping to get close enough to the line to make a LB like play.

Polamalu is a very good player, maybe even a borderline HOF player, but I'm not sure he should be considered a lock based on his play. Pro Bowl appearances are popularity contests, not recognition of greatness.

You may be right ...

http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/positions.aspx
Defensive Backs (24)
Herb Adderley (CB) 1961-1972
Lem Barney (CB) 1967-1977
Mel Blount (CB) 1970-1983
Willie Brown (CB) 1963-1978
Jack Butler (CB) 1951-59
Jack Christiansen (S) 1951-1958
Darrell Green (CB) 1983-2002
Mike Haynes (CB) 1976-1989
Ken Houston (S) 1967-1980
Jimmy Johnson (CB) 1961-1976
Paul Krause (S) 1964-1979
**** (Night Train) Lane (CB) 1952-1965
Yale Lary (S) 1952-1953, 1956-1964
**** LeBeau (CB) 1959-1972
Ronnie Lott (CB-S) 1981-1994
Mel Renfro (S-CB) 1964-1977
Deion Sanders (CB-KR-PR) 1989-2000, 2004-2005
Emmitt Thomas (CB) 1966-1978
Emlen Tunnell (S) 1948-1961
Roger Wehrli 1969-1982
Aeneas Williams (CB/S) 1991-2004
Larry Wilson (S) 1960-1972
Willie Wood (S) 1960-1971
Rod Woodson 1987-2003

 

[patsinthesnow]

http://www.ourlads.com/nfldepthcharts/depthchart/PIT

I hope they are our opening day opponent. We may be able to score every possession vs. that defense.

How the Steelers D has fallen. Lebeau's left, their former great players are gone (Keisel, Taylor, Polamalu), and whiffing on draft picks has not helped (Jarvis Jones).

 

[Wheelman]

I will always remember Troy Polamalu for timing the snap and jumping over the o-lineman to sack the QB. That stuff was pure awesome!

I've always thought about, what if someone could do that on a kneel down and attempt to force a fumble before the QB could get his knee down. That would be epic!

 

[Marinlik]

http://www.ourlads.com/nfldepthcharts/depthchart/PIT

I hope they are our opening day opponent. We may be able to score every possession vs. that defense.

How the Steelers D has fallen. Lebeau's left, their former great players are gone (Keisel, Taylor, Polamalu), and whiffing on draft picks has not helped (Jarvis Jones).

The problem has also been that their former great players still played when they where old and not in their prime any more. Like Polamalu these last few years, or James Harrison. They haven't really had a great intake of young very good players on defense.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Not much to dislike about the man other than the uniform he wore.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Polamalu shouldn't be a first-ballot HOFer. I think he's a virtual lock to get in, but people dramatically overestimate him. He was really, really good, but he didn't have a particularly long career and Ed Reed was simply better than him. He's a guy who played a position that's relatively low on the totem pole, was never the best at his position, and didn't have an especially long career. The rings will definitely help, and I think he's a lock to get in eventually, but I would think the standard for 'consensus first ballot' would be a little higher.

I think people just generally tend to underestimate how high a bar you have to clear to get into the HOF at all. Guys like Wilfork may or may not get in, and I'd put Polamalu right around that tier. I think the difference--what makes him a lock and Wilfork not--is that he played a higher-profile position in a higher profile way. But saying day one that someone will be a first ballot guy is pretty much reserved for transcendent, generational talents. At any given time, there's a handful of them in the league, and Polamalu was not one of those guys. Maybe if something close to his prime had lasted a few more years.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Great competitor.
When we think of the Steelers of recent years, Polamalu was part of what defined the team.
Like all true football fans, I wish him well.

 

[Kontradiction]

I remember when @patsfanincleveland (back when he used to be patsfaninpittsburgh) once told me that Polamalu was going to be harder for the Steelers to replace than Tom Brady would be for the Pats.

 

[tasmlab]

Watching him play in the mid oughts made for some great television. The man could fly for short distances.