The Pittsburgh Steelers’ defensive tradition is one thing that’s held up over time, and former Steelers safety Troy Polamalu recognizes the talent on the current roster. Asked by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Brian Batko on his Chipped Ham and Football podcast if current Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt could play on the defenses that led Pittsburgh to Super Bowl wins in 2005 and 2008, Polamalu answered “absolutely.” He also called Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and defensive end Cameron Heyward “generational players.”
“Oh yeah, absolutely,” Polamalu answered when asked if Watt could play on the Steelers teams he did. “First, I think it’s important to say I’m not a stakeholder in this, I’m just proud to be a member of this team. T.J.’s incredible, Minkah’s incredible, Cam, these guys are generational players.”
Polamalu’s era saw some of the best defensive teams in Steelers history, with the 2008 Super Bowl team regarded as one of the best defenses of all time. Those teams obviously had Polamalu, but they featured other stars across the board like Casey Hampton, Aaron Smith, James Farrior, James Harrison and Ike Taylor, among others. The Steelers have continued to build their legacy on the defensive side of the ball as Heyward, Watt and Fitzpatrick have all been All-Pros throughout their career and continue to excel on the field.
While the defense as a whole might not be as talented as it was during Polamalu’s heyday, there’s little doubt that the Steelers are still a team that takes pride in their play on that side of the ball. The defense has been the team’s strength for the last number of years, still keeping the Steelers competitive even as the offense has struggled.
Watt has been a big part of that, winning NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 and being in contention for the award previous to that and again in 2023. Heyward has been a stalwart on Pittsburgh’s defensive line, while Fitzpatrick is a ballhawk who patrols the secondary. Polamalu bestowed him with some of the ultimate praise he could give, comparing him to former Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed.
It took a certain mindset to succeed and be able to play on the Steelers’ defense during Polamalu’s time with the team, and it’s clear that he feels as if those three guys have what it takes to succeed and thrive in his era. All three of Watt, Fitzpatrick and Heyward hold themselves to an incredibly high standard, the same sort of standard that Polamalu and his teammates held. While the defense around them as a whole isn’t quite as dominant as it was at times throughout the 2000s with Polamalu, all three make a massive impact on the game when they’re on the field and are essential to Pittsburgh’s success.
Polamalu is one of the most respected former Steelers, and so it’s definitely high praise for him to call Pittsburgh’s current defensive core generational. Hopefully, those three can experience the same level of success as Polamalu and finally win at least one Super Bowl ring in Pittsburgh.
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