Tag: Troy Polamalu

Steelers land 2 modern era Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists.

Troy Polamalu and Alan Faneca are both finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the 15 modern-era finalists for the 2020 class and two Pittsburgh Steelers made the cut. Offensive guard Alan Faneca and safety Troy Polamalu are both on the ballot for this year.

For Faneca, this is his fifth time making the list. Faneca is easily one of the best all-around guards of the modern era but unfortunately is part of a crowded group waiting to get in.

Polamalu, on the other hand, is on the ballot for the first time and is a near-lock to make it. During his time in the NFL, Polamalu was responsible for as many highlight-reel plays as any defensive player in the league.

Here are all 15 finalists:

Troy Polamalu
Reggie Wayne
Torry Holt
John Lynch
Edgerrin James
Richard Seymour
Steve Atwater
Zach Thomas
Isaac Bruce
Leroy Butler
Tony Boselli
Alan Faneca
Steve Hutchinson
Bryant Young
Sam Mills

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Ranking the 2020 Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists

Touchdown Wire ranks the 15 modern-era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced 15 finalists for the Class of 2020 on Thursday night. All of them are worthy, but only five will make it this year.

I’ve been in the room as an alternate voter three times and it’s a fascinating process. The voters take their responsibility very seriously, as they should. They want it to be the Hall of Fame, not the Hall of Very Good.

As a veteran writer explained to me the first time I was in the room, anyone that made the finalist list deserved to get in – at some point. But only the best are to get in during a given year. The rest should wait until the right time and their time will come.

That veteran also told me to keep one question in mind when voting – could the history of the game be written without a player. It was all great advice and I always tried to keep those parameters in mind.

I’m not voting this year, but I’ll still keep that advice in mind as I rank this year’s finalists from No. 15 to No. 1. Here we go.

15. Richard Seymour, DL – 2001-08 New England Patriots, 2009-2012 Oakland Raiders

Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports Copyright

Seymour split his career between defensive end and tackle. That works against him. His 57.5 career sacks aren’t nearly enough for the Hall of Fame.

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Former Steeler Troy Polamalu selected to College Football Hall of Fame

It looks like Troy Polamalu will make two halls of fame in the next year.

Former Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu has been named to the College Football Hall of Fame. Polamalu was a three-year star at USC before becoming the first-round pick of the Steelers in 2003.

During Polamalu’s time at USC he accumulated 278 tackles, 29 tackles for a loss, 6 interceptions, 4 blocked punts, and 3 touchdowns. Much like his time in the NFL, Polamalu was one of the most explosive and dynamic players in college football.

This will be a nice warmup for Polamalu as he is also a semi-finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It’s no reach to think Polamalu will make it in on the first ballot.

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Former Steeler Troy Polamalu forever humble about the Hall of Fame

Former Steeler great Troy Polamalu talks about his place as a semi-finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

One of the semi-finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame is former Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu. This is Polamalu’s first time on the ballot but he has a strong chance to get in the first time around. Polamalu was on the Jim Rome Show on Tuesday and was forever his humble self when he talked about being a semi-finalist but as he was as a player, Polamalu was humble and talked about his teammates who he felt are just as deserving.

Especially coming from the team that I’ve been a part of — thank God — for the 12 years that I played for the Steelers. There’s definitely more than a handful of players that I know that I’ve played with that are more deserving of this award.

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It’s very honorable for Polamalu to say this but the reality is Polamalu was one of the most dynamic and dominant players of his era. Check out Polamalu’s full interview in the video above.

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Andy Dalton sees some Troy Polamalu in Jets’ Jamal Adams

Andy Dalton will see a version of Troy Polamalu over the weekend.

Andy Dalton’s first start during his second stint in the role this year won’t be an easy one.

Thank New York Jets budding star Jamal Adams.

For the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback, Adams reminds him a bit of a guy named Troy Polamalu, as he told the media:

“With Troy, he was so smart and understood exactly what they were doing on defense and how offenses were trying to attack. Jamal is similar. He can start down (toward the line of scrimmage) and run out to the half (of the field he’s covering), and he can do all the different things that Troy did.”

Polamalu, of course, tormented the Bengals from 2003-2014 with the Steelers.

Adams, just 24, is clearly on his way to such heights. Over 11 games this year, he’s put up 63 total tackles, 6.5 sacks and 15 pressures and allowed just 15 completions on 27 targets.

As Dalton tries to go to work without A.J. Green again, he’ll have to hope a struggling offensive line can counter Adams’ creative pressures and otherwise always find him when he drops back to cover.

Like with Polamalu, easier said than done.

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Steelers land 3 on list of 25 Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists

Pittsburgh has a great chance to get at least one former player in the Pro Football Hall of Fame this time around.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced their 25 modern-era finalists on Tuesday and the Pittsburgh Steelers landed three names on the list. Among the finalists are wide receiver Hines Ward, guard Alan Faneca and safety Troy Polamalu.

This is Polamalu’s first time on the ballot but he is a near-lock to make the Hall as he’s one of the most dominant defensive backs to ever play. The road for Faneca and Ward is harder as both have been on the ballot before and are both play very crowded positions in terms of players waiting for their spot in the HOF.

Faneca has been a semifinalist five times and Ward four. Wide receiver Reggie Wayne and linebacker Patrick Willis are both first-time finalists along With Polamalu.

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