This year, the Pittsburgh Steelers have had numerous former players visit training camp in Latrobe, Pa. James Harrison made an appearance, and while he was there, he made sure to take time to give Nick Herbig some pointers. It seems Troy Polamalu did something similar with Minkah Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick is one of the best defenders in the NFL right now, but Polamalu is one of the best ever period. Getting advice from him would be invaluable for anyone.
Speaking to team reporter Missi Matthews during the game last night, Fitzpatrick was asked what it was like to spend time with Polamalu at camp.
“It was awesome,” Fitzpatrick said during the KDKA broadcast of the Steelers’ preseason opener. “Troy is a guy that I looked up to before I was even a Steeler. Once I got here, I looked up to him even more. Just being able to have him in the building a couple of days and talk to him was an honor. Definitely took a lot away from it.”
Polamalu is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame for a reason. When he was playing, he was arguably the best player at his position. Fitzpatrick is on a similar trajectory, although he lacks the championships Polamalu was able to win. However, he’s still been an unbelievable player, even earning praise from Polamalu.
At this point in his career, Fitzpatrick has been named first-team All-Pro three times, only one less than Polamalu. Granted, he doesn’t have players like Ed Reed or Brian Dawkins to compete against, but it’s still an impressive feat considering his career is only half as long as Polamalu’s at this point.
Polamalu also didn’t win Defensive Player of the Year until his eighth year in the league, so Fitzpatrick still has time to match that accolade. To win a Super Bowl, the Steelers might need him to. Polamalu once led the Steelers to Super Bowl XLIII with a pick-six against the Baltimore Ravens, so perhaps Fitzpatrick can have a similar moment in the playoffs. That is, if the team can finally manage to win a postseason game.
Mike Tomlin has talked about how motivated he is to get players like Fitzpatrick an opportunity to win a championship. The past few years have been a step back for the Steelers, but with the additions they made this offseason, it seems they’re beginning to trend upward again. They just need to figure out their quarterback situation.
Polamalu is one of the most intelligent and instinctual players in the history of the game. If Fitzpatrick even soaked up one percent of Polamalu’s knowledge, he will be even better this year than he has been since joining the Steelers. That may help him win a Defensive Player of the Year award, as well as a championship, allowing him to join legends like Polamalu in being immortalized in Steelers history.
