NFL Network reporter Albert Breer is reporting this evening that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin actually called Steelers patriarch Dan Rooney in Ireland last week and implored him to get a new contract extension done with safety Troy Polamalu before the season started. Polamalu, who was entering the final year of his contract, signed a new $36.5 million deal right before the Steelers took off from the Pittsburgh airport to travel to Baltimore last Saturday. Polamalu was actually photographed signing the contract at the airport.
Heading into the week 1 game against the Ravens, it was looking like the Steelers would put off Polamalu until next season as he looked primed to wear the 2012 franchise tag after the Steelers locked up linebackers LaMarr Woodley and Lawrence Timmons during training camp with long-term contracts.
It is not known what lead to Tomlin making the call, if he indeed did. Maybe he read my post suggesting that it sends the wrong message if they didn\’t get it done. Nah, I doubt it.
