Troy Polamalu: Pittsburgh Steelers Star Retires After 12 Years


NFL star Troy Polamalu has officially decided to retire after 12 seasons.

The longtime Pittsburgh Steelers safety definitely made his mark on the team over the years.

Selected for the Pro Bowl eight different times, Troy Polamalu will forever be remembered as one of the most powerful and dominating safeties in the history of the National Football League.

Polamalu used a wide variety of run stops, big plays, and perfectly timed blitzes throughout his career — especially in the memorable season which led to him being named the 2010 Defensive Player of the Year.

Most Pittsburgh Steelers fans and critics would agree that the 33-year-old strong safety was essentially a real-life superhero when it came to reading the minds of the offense and shutting them down.

Troy Polamalu became the 16th overall draft pick in the 2003 NFL draft. Even though the Steelers reportedly wanted to go in a different direction (i.e. Dexter Jackson), they stumbled upon a goldmine by adding Polamalu to their roster.

Over the past 12 years, Troy Polamalu has seen numerous Steelers come and go, but he never left. In a recent phone interview with Jim Wexell, Troy Polamalu opened up about his overall career — including the reason why he decided to stay in Pittsburgh.

“I did not seriously consider playing elsewhere. It was just whether or not I wanted to play.”

In the same interview, Polamalu confirmed that the time that he spent with his family during the Holy Week of the Greek Orthodox Church helped him to finalize his decision to retire.

“It’s all about family. 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.”

Troy Polamalu and his wife, Theodora Holmes, currently have two sons: six-year-old Paisios and four-year-old Ephraim.

Polamalu’s recent years in the league have been plagued with injuries. However, the memories of his legendary skill set and prime performances throughout his career will forever be remembered by his former teammates, fans, and critics alike.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin opened up to NFL Network about Troy Polamalu at the recent League Annual Meeting.

“[Troy’s] one of those once-in-a-generation type of a guy, man. He’s a different guy. The way he views the game is different. The way he plays the game is different. He is unique. And I’m sure you’ll see great players in that position in the future, but none will do it quite like he does it.”

What do you think about Troy Polamalu retiring?

[Image Credit: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images]

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