It’s not easy for Steelers legend Troy Polamalu to be anywhere in Pittsburgh and go unnoticed.
It’s not easy for Troy Polamalu to be anywhere in Pittsburgh and go unnoticed — unless he hides the hair.
NFL reporter Bo Marchionte posted a photo of Polamalu on the sideline at Pittsburgh Steelers training camp on Friday.
The day started with unusually cooler 70-degree temperatures, so the California native got away with a Steelers hoodie, his famous locks all tucked up in a bucket hat and shades to complete the disguise.
The legendary Steelers safety was recently named to ESPN’s top 25 players of the 21st century. Polamalu was the lone Steeler on the list, landing at No. 16. Not surprisingly, Tom Brady came in at No. 1.
Troy Polamalu is the latest former Steelers player to throw his support behind Mike Tomlin.
Thanks to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter earlier this week, rumors have been flying around about whether Mike Tomlin’s time with the Pittsburgh Steelers is coming to an end.
Schefter said he’s hearing from “people around the league” that Tomlin could step away from the team he’s coached for 17 seasons.
For Tomlin’s former player Troy Polamalu, it’s simple: He believes there’s nobody better to continue leading the Black and Gold.
“He’s a man of integrity that holds people accountable,” Polamalu told Steelers Wire. “And when you have such a high standard for yourself, you’re going to hold everybody else around you, aside from the fact that he’s a great communicator as well.”
Polamalu said he learned from Tomlin — beyond what he could from most others — what it is to be a good safety. “I learned so much just what a safety should look at, and just from a tactical perspective of what it took to be a good safety. So, he checks every box about what he knows about every position above and beyond what players could, and most coaches could.
“He, to me, is the most well-rounded coach, is a Hall of Fame coach, just like other Hall of Fame coaches that I played with, Pete Carroll [at USC] and Coach [Bill] Cowher.”
Troy Polamalu relives Super Bowl in Frito-Lay campaign
Troy Polamalu and all three of his former coaches have had the sought-after honor of playing in and winning Super Bowls. The Hall of Fame safety won one each under Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin.
In “Taste the Victory,” a new NFL playoff season campaign from Frito-Lay, Polamalu got the chance to relive the post-win excitement.
“It was cool to work with Rob [Gronkowski] and Marshawn [Lynch] to celebrate Super Bowls that we’ve won, and the nostalgic feeling that attached to that, especially with an iconic brand, Frito-Lay,” Polamalu said.
The ad, now live across social and digital platforms, will air on TV starting Saturday and run through Super 58 on Feb. 11.
The best holiday gift ideas for any Pittsburgh Steelers fan in your life.
Happy holidays, Steelers fans!
Pittsburgh is off to an up-and-down start this season, but Steelers Wire is here to give you a reason to celebrate this holiday season.
Whether you’re all in on the 2022-23 playoff push or just love to reminisce about the days of Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris or Troy Polamalu, we’ve got you covered with our list of best Steelers.
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Legendary Steelers safety Troy Polamalu had plenty of people to thank during his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction speech.
A first-ballot Hall of Famer, former Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. Here are a few of the Steelers Polamalu mentioned during his moving and impassioned 11-minute speech.
LeBeau spent 13 seasons coaching up Polamalu. Now he’ll present him for enshrinement.
If you were on social media Tuesday evening, you may have seen Troy Polamalu’s post hinting at who he’s asked to present him for enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
From the moment it was announced he’d be inducted, everyone speculated about who would be the one to induct Polamalu. And, of course, most people predicted correctly that it would be his former defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau.
LeBeau came to Pittsburgh in 2004 after a year off from coaching the Cincinnati Bengals. From Polamalu’s second season to his last, LeBeau had the privilege to coach one of the best to ever don a Steelers uniform. And Polamalu had the privilege to be coached by one of the best coordinators in the game.
So, it only makes sense that Polamalu chose LeBeau for this momentous occasion.
The legendary Hall of Fame safety penned an emotional letter to his former team and former city.
On the heels of Friday’s announcement that the Pittsburgh Steelers would be inducting him into its Hall of Honor, legendary safety Troy Polamalu took what was in his heart and put into words a letter to the Steelers and his beloved “home” of Pittsburgh.
With the title “A Pittsburgh Steeler,” Troy’s first sentence of the beautiful ode begins, “People find it hard to believe that the first NFL game I actually watched, was the first NFL game I played in.”
Polamalu wrote about how the Steelers weren’t his teammates but “truly brothers,” and mentioned several of them in particular with accompanying anecdotes. Ryan Clark, Cam Heyward, Joey Porter and Mike Logan. His first encounter with roommate Ike Taylor. Hines Ward flashing his “classic grin” after Troy attempted to make a play on him in practice. Having a locker next to Jerome Bettis.
It goes without saying — but I will — that he did not forget the unforgettable Joe Greene, a player that Troy later writes was one he “struggled to emulate” during his career in Pittsburgh.
“Joe Greene is without a doubt the greatest player in NFL history,” Troy wrote. “As the saying goes, the best player, on the best team, is the MVP. Joe Greene is the best player from the most successful organization in NFL history.”
AP Photo/Keith Srakocic
And, of course, Bill Cowher and the lesson that he taught to “embrace misery,” especially that of which is the unbearable climate of Pittsburgh summers and winters.
Troy even manages to drop “The standard is the standard” in reference to his last and former coach Mike Tomlin.
“Now, I’m blessed to be in the Hall of Honor, confirmation that enduring the struggles to emulate players before me is worthwhile. Thank yinz.”
Pittsburgh is… “my home”
In what I’m sure was a most memorable interview for Mark Kaboly, Polamalu recently said to “The Athletic” about his former city, “I lived in Pittsburgh longer than I lived anywhere else in my life. Pittsburgh is, without a doubt, my home…”
“To be honest, I have only been living here in California for a little less than two years. I was in Pittsburgh the entire time,” Troy added. “Just to be able to see fans on an everyday basis taking my kids to school in Wexford and Shady Side Academy. I was really trying to live life as a Yinzer.”
Troy’s words are such a heart-warming public gesture from a customarily quiet, unassuming man. That and the person that Troy Polamalu is are what makes this letter so exceptionally special.
