Pittsburgh Steelers: Troy Polamalu will be irreplaceable

By Brian Spaen | Apr 10, 2015

Breaking news came out on Thursday night that Troy Polamalu informed the Pittsburgh Steelers that he would be retiring after a 12-year career with the team. Dedicated to the organization and one of the best safeties to ever play in the NFL, the Steelers will have to replace somebody that simply isn’t replaceable.

According to a report by Jim Wexell of the Herald-Standard, Polamalu talked to team president Dan Rooney before talking to the paper in a phone interview on Thursday night. His dedication to Pittsburgh was incredibly clear in his decision to step away from the game.

"“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.”"

Where to begin on Polamalu’s incredible career? For those that don’t remember, the Steelers actually gambled on him. First, the San Diego Chargers passed on him with the 15th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft despite needing a safety. Instead, they traded down. The Steelers moved up to 16th from 27th to grab the strong safety.

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Obviously, Polamalu lived up to the potential and the Steelers never let go of him. He was named as the team’s Rookie of the Year right out of the gate. After that, he was an 8-time Pro Bowler — beginning with a five-year streak right after his rookie season and missing in 2009, 2012, and 2014.

Polamalu has succeeded in all phases of the game. He’s one of the lucky players that had great talent on a team that was able to win. His final tally is 176 games, which includes 15 playoff appearances and three Super Bowls. Two of those Super Bowls ended with him hoisting the trophy.

The strong safety’s best season came in 2010 when the team eventually lost to the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl. He was awarded as the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year, AFC Defensive Player of the Year, NFL Alumni Player of the Year, and was named as the team’s MVP. In 14 games, Polamalu recorded 49 total tackles (14 assists), 11 pass deflections, and tied a career high of seven interceptions and added in a touchdown.

Overall, Polamalu ended his career with 770 total tackles, 12 quarterback sacks, 32 interceptions (3 more in the postseason), and 14 forced fumbles, and three touchdowns. What may be more memorable than the incredible stats and impressive play on the field was the man’s glorious hair.

Sep 7, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Detail view of the hair of Pittsburgh Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu (43) on the sidelines against the Cleveland Browns during the first quarter at Heinz Field. The Steelers won 30-27. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Thanks to his hair, Polamalu was always the easiest to spot on the field. One of the biggest incidents happened back kin 2006 with Larry Johnson of the Kansas City Chiefs, who pulled his hair down to tackle him.

That part wasn’t illegal, but Johnson was flagged after still holding to his hair when getting back up. Four years later, it was public knowledge that the Head & Shoulders shampoo brand invested in a $1 million policy for the long locks while appearing in commercials.

Polamalu also made the cover of NFL Madden 10 in a rare joint appearance with Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Johnson.

However, the most incredible feat that Polamalu has among these great accomplishments is dedication. Sticking around with one team in the free agency era is nearly unheard of. The fact that he even admits not looking at another team is amazing. So many teams in the past were willing to dish out a lot of cash to lure him away from Pittsburgh, and you can bet there are still teams willing to bring him in for another year right now.

Instead, his legacy as a Steeler will be cemented. There’s no question that he will eventually be in the NFL Hall of Fame. It also comes at a good time for the franchise. The team needs to rebuild in the secondary, and Polamalu is smart enough to accept it.

Here’s to a great future for Polamalu after football.

Next: Pittsburgh Steelers: Is Jarvis Jones a potential bust?

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