Selected with the 16th overall pick in the 2003 draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers out of USC, Troy Polamalu made the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a first-ballot entrant in 2020 after a 12-year career in which he totaled 583 solo tackles, 56 tackles for loss, 12.0 sacks, 14 forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries for 120 yards and two touchdowns, 32 interceptions for 398 yards and three touchdowns, eight Pro Bowl nods, four First-Team All-Pro selections, three Super Bowl appearances, two rings (Super Bowls XL and XLIII), and his status as the 2020 Defensive Player of the Year, and membership in the Hall of Fame All-2000s Team.
Polamalu’s legacy extends to the modern game in interesting ways, which is par for the course for one of the most unique players in NFL history. In an era when most defensive coordinators had defined free and strong safeties, Polamalu was the forerunner of today’s do-it-all defender, patrolling at multiple positions for the Steelers. From the defensive line to the box to the slot to free safety to outside cornerback, there wasn’t a place on the field Polamalu couldn’t line up and have an immediate impact.
Doug Farrar: Troy, I wanted to start by asking you about the Head & Shoulders/Fiverr Never Not Working campaign. The never-not-working obviously fits into your play style, so tell me about that and what you’re doing.
Troy Polamalu: It’s also an interesting dynamic after being retired for about six years as well. I think any parent knows that when you have two busy children as well that you’re never not working. Head & Shoulders and I have teamed up with Fiverr, the world’s largest creative marketplace of digital services, and they do a lot of great things providing services online for people. I’m here actually on shoot, and we’re doing a lot of cool things, from tattoo to piano to all of the great services that Fiverr provides for everyone.
DF: You’ve been with Head & Shoulders for a long time. How are those Patrick Mahomes commercials? Those look like fun.
TP: It’s been a blast, man. It’s funny; I’ve almost had a career in making commercials with Head & Shoulders. Staring almost 15 years ago and being able to be shooting commercials with Patrick Mahomes, the future of the NFL, has been a real blessing for me.