Troy Polamalu is one of the greatest NFL safeties of all-time and one of the most dynamic players in Pittsburgh Steelers’ history. He pushed the boundaries on what was possible for a defensive player, the ability to seemingly cover all parts of the field no matter where he lined up pre-snap. Truly a player quarterbacks had to keep an eye on the entire time. If you didn’t know where Polamalu was when you threw the ball, chances are he was picking you off on the other side.
But like all great players, they eventually hang them up. Polamalu retired after the 2014 season and in a guest appearance on the All Things Covered podcast with Bryant McFadden and Patrick Peterson, revealed he knew midway through the season his heart wasn’t in it anymore. He says it came in a game that year against the Indianapolis Colts.
“When I realized I was done is actually in the middle of a game,” he said. “To me, football, like I said before, was just fun. I enjoyed running around just switching up positions. Playing Cover Two from linebacker to depth or blitzing from safety depth. Really trying to push the envelope on how the safety position was played.
“I remember in one game I get an assignment where I actually have a lot of freedom to do what I wanted to do. In my mind, I was like, okay, ‘Do this.’ I’m like, ‘Ah, no, I’ve done that.’ Do this. ‘Ah, I’ve done that.’ I was like, ‘You know what? I’m just gonna play my position.’ And then that, to me was like, ‘Man, I’ve exhausted the creativity and innovation that I’ve had within in myself.’ To me it was like, ‘Man, that was the first sign as me being done.'”
That realization came in one of the most thrilling Steelers’ games of the last decade, a 51-34 shootout win by Pittsburgh over Indianapolis, the first of back-to-back games in which QB Ben Roethlisberger would throw six touchdown passes. And funny enough, that was the same game in which Polamalu prevented Pat McAfee from scoring a touchdown, a story that’s lived on through the years.
Polamalu’s calling card was his ability to show any pre-snap look. He had plenty of freedom, as he said, though he always had an assignment and post-snap responsibility. The freedom came from being able to disguise that before the snap of the football, running all over the field and confusing the heck out of offenses.
But there came a point when Polamalu had done it all. And it sounds like the game got a little less fun for him. He had won a Super Bowl, made All-Pro teams, was recognized as one of the greatest to ever do it. Injuries played a role too. He missed four games that season, and he hung up his cleats after his age-33 season.
He ended his career as an eight-time Pro Bowler, four-time All-Pro selection, recording 32 career interceptions, forcing 14 fumbles, and registering 12 sacks. Had it not been for those injuries that hampered him in his career, his numbers would’ve been even more impressive. Still, he was one of the most impactful players in the game throughout his career with versatility that was unparalleled.
Though rumored by many to join Dick LeBeau in Tennessee after the 2014 season, Polamalu said that was never a serious consideration.
“It really wasn’t,” he said when asked if he thought about continuing his career. “I had a tough conversation with the Steelers about the end of my career. So to me, it was pretty much in my court on whether or not I’d be able to play.”
Polamalu didn’t detail the specifics of that “tough conversation” with the team but he clearly had the chance to keep playing if he wanted to. But he was ready to move on with life’s work. A supremely talented football player but someone who wasn’t defined by the game, he’s found joy in life beyond the sport. And left behind an incredible legacy.
You can check out the entire episode and conversation between Polamalu, McFadden, and Peterson below. It’s a great interview and certainly worth your time.
