A Hall of Fame coach. A Hall of Fame player. Put Dick LeBeau and Troy Polamalu on the same team and you got greatness. LeBeau, a fantastic player in his own right but legendary defensive coordinator. Polamalu’s rare talent, athleticism combined with elite IQ and ultimate humility, a yearning to be coached.
Polamalu reveres LeBeau so much he thinks the name of the Super Bowl Trophy should honor Coach LeBeau. He also wrote the foreword to LeBeau’s new book Legendary, one our Scott Brown helped make possible, expressing what he meant to him on and off the field.
“What I’ve always said to people is I don’t think anybody, who wasn’t an owner of a team, has been a part of NFL football longer than he was,” Polamalu wrote. “He played with legends. He played against legends. The same with coaching. He just has a profound perspective on the game. The Lombardi Trophy should be named after him. I truly mean that because nobody has had the experience that he’s had, nobody has had that length of commitment, and those who know him often love him more than their own families. I can’t imagine anybody like him ever. It’s a blessing that I’m a part of his life, and he’s a part of my life.”
The Lombardi, of course, is named for famous Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi, still regarded by many as the greatest coach in NFL history.
It was Kevin Colbert who traded up for Polamalu in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft. A wildly talented but raw prospect, Polamalu had a tough rookie year. The ability was there, he made plays, but he had to harness his game and be a steadier presence. Working under DC Tim Lewis in 2003, the Steelers brought LeBeau back for the 2004 season after serving as the team’s coordinator in the mid-90s.
For the rest of Polamalu’s career, LeBeau was the only defensive coordinator he’d know. By that 2004 season, Polamalu’s true ability unlocked. Starting all 16 games, he finished with 97 tackles and five interceptions, making the first of eight Pro Bowls while earning a second-team All-Pro nod. Polamalu would graduate to first-team All-Pro the following year, the Steelers’ defense finishing third in scoring as Pittsburgh went on a historic Super Bowl run and victory.
In many respects, the two are similar people. Quiet, humble, with an intense passion and dedication to everything they did. The perfect pairing, LeBeau and Polamalu won a pair of Super Bowls together. The 2008 defense became the centerpiece of LeBeau’s book, telling the story of the season. QB Ben Roethlisberger’s throw and WR Santonio Holmes’ catch literally won the Super Bowl but it was the defense that got them to that point. That unit finished the regular season ranked first in scoring defense, first in yards allowed, and second in sacks. Stars littered the group at all three levels. NT Casey Hampton, OLB James Harrison, ILB James Farrior, Polamalu at safety. Quality starters and role players filled out the rest.
Polamalu’s foreword and tribute is a touching note to LeBeau. And LeBeau having Polamalu write it speaks volumes (James Harrison also had a section). A coach like LeBeau, a player like Polamalu, especially paired together, may never happen again.
If you’d like to pick up a copy of Coach LeBeau’s new book, you can purchase a copy from here. Use the code “Steel30” for 30 percent off your purchase.
