Steelers Throwback Thursday: Polamalu retires
Steel City Underground takes fans back in time to feature events, special moments, and historical times and players in the world of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Steelers Nation. Join us as we revisit these moments in our “Steelers Throwback Thursday” series.
There are NFL players whose careers set them apart, but there are few who earn the devotion of fans that is long- lasting. The Pittsburgh Steelers franchise has been lucky in that regard; they’ve had several players who fit the bill of being both fan-favorites due to their play on the football field and given back to the community, endearing themselves to fans. This week, we look at one of those players and his retirement: Troy Polamalu.
Polamalu entered the league via the NFL Draft after playing for the University of Southern California. The Steelers used a first-round pick (no. 16 overall) to bring the Polynesian phenom to Pittsburgh.
After spending his entire career (2003-14) with the Steelers, Polamalu had secured his spot in Pittsburgh sports fame.
Over the course of that career, the safety that could change the entire trajectory of a game, Polamalu also earned the respect of players across the league. He played loudly but was known for his soft spoken ways. A consummate sportsman, he played with grit and determination.
During his career, Polamalu recorded the following regular season stats in 158 games (142 starts):
| TKL | SOLO | AST | SACK | PDEF | INT | YDS | LNG | TDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 770 | 576 | 194 | 12.0 | 100 | 32 | 398 | 49 | 3 |
Polamalu also appeared in 15 post-season playoff games, including two NFL Super Bowls.
Polamalu’s career highlights and awards included:
- 2× Super Bowl champion (XL, XLIII)
- NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2010)
- 4× First-team All-Pro (2005, 2008, 2010, 2011)
- 2× Second-team All-Pro (2004, 2007)
- 8× Pro Bowl (2004–2008, 2010, 2011, 2013)
- NFL 2000s All-Decade Team
- Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Team
- Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Honor
- Consensus All-American (2002)
- First-team All-American (2001)
- 2× First-team All-Pac-10 (2001, 2002)
On April 10, 2015, Polamalu retired from the NFL rather than play for another team. The news drew positive reaction from fans, teammates, and NFL-related social media accounts.
One of many memories I'll never forget #ThankYouTroy pic.twitter.com/3ikY81SVh0
— 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 (@steelcityundrgr) April 10, 2015
From our collection: The #NFLDraft card used by @steelers to select @tpolamalu 16th overall in 2003. #ThankYouTroy pic.twitter.com/LWUrear8Wt
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) April 10, 2015
Related content:
- Thank You Troy – Ours And Others Ways Of Saying Thank You To A Steelers Legend
- Steelers Throwback Thursdays: Troy Polamalu’s Fingertip Interception
- Film Room: Troy Polamalu was a game changer
- Steelers insider Jim Wexell joins us to talk upcoming NFL season, Polamalu memoir
It was expected that Polamalu would enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a first-ballot member. On January 2, 2020, Polamalu was named one of 15 modern-era finalists for election. He and former Indianapolis Colts receiver Reggie Wayne were the only two finalists for 2020 to be nominated in their first year of eligibility. On February 1, 2020, Polamalu was officially elected, capping off what was a fantastic, historical career.
