Troy Polamalu is retiring after 12 seasons

[ThunderHorse]

Troy Polamalu's clock to Canton can start now. The definitive Pittsburgh Steeler of the team's recent titles told the Herald-Standard (Uniontown, Pennsylvania) that he has decided to retire.

"I did not seriously consider playing elsewhere," Polamalu said in a phone interview with Jim Wexell. "It was just whether or not I wanted to play."

We can't say that Polamalu re-defined the safety position because he was one of a kind. It's not like there are youth coaches out there teaching kids to play like Polamalu because his unique skill set would be impossible to recreate. Who else could have made leaping over the line of scrimmage a signature move?


An eight-time Pro Bowl selection, Polamalu was one of the most dominant safeties in league history during his four seasons as a first-team All-Pro player. He won the 2010 Defensive Player of the Year by mixing big plays, run stopping, well-timed blitzes and a rare instinct for knowing what opposing players would do.

Article continues here @ NFL.com.

Where does Troy fall in your list for top all-time safeties?

[MrBill]

I don't think he was better than Ronnie Lott but I would put him in the top 5 of all time. A truly great NFL player

[j.hen]

All I know is Michael Vick could have been the only player in NFL history to throw a TD pass to himself but Troy Polamalu beat him to the corner and stopped him at the 1 yard line.

[buckeye]

Troy was a system player but you can't hold that against him. Bottom line is he did what he was asked to do and then some. He is top 10 all time maybe top 5.

His coverage skills were subpar but he was able to recover from getting toasted by using his elite athleticism. He was a BEAST versus the run and rushing the passer in that Lebeau zone blitz.

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[Senser81]

Troy was a system player but you can't hold that against him.

Please give examples of other safeties who weren't system players.

His coverage skills were subpar.

Polamalu was perhaps the best man-to-man SS cover guy in NFL history.

I cannot believe how wrong this post is. Polamalu's range of skills and ability to do everything is what made him unique. He could do it all. He wasn't a Cover 2 safety...he wasn't a run support SS who was a liability in coverage. He was a sure tackler who also had the ability to play man-to-man on WRs and could get to the QB quickly when asked. I would say that of all the DBs who ever played in NFL history, with the exception of Rod Woodson, Troy Polamalu is the guy who could fit into any system. He could play CB, SS, FS, man, zone, blitz, run support, deep zone...

[buckeye]

Congrats on not explaining yours, which was incredibly awful.

Now that I have a few minutes.

Polamalu spent the majority of his time as an in the box safety. He was allowed to free-lance most downs. That worked very well for him and the Pittsburgh defense.

You call him the best man coverage SS in history and that is fine. I call him the most athletically gifted big time safety ever. I didn't see great coverage. I saw a man get burned often whose athletic ability allowed him to catch up to the ball while it was in the air and make plays. This became clear the last several years as his speed declined and he was no longer able to make up the difference yet was still making the same gambles. He spent the better part of the last 2 seasons getting roasted in man coverage versus most tight ends.

He was consistently picked on by offenses the last several years because they knew he was still taking those same risks and was slowing down.

Greatest safety ever? No. Hall of famer... sure why not. Hell he spent years not even being the best safety in his own division (Ed Reed). And I still wouldn't put him over Reed, Dawkins, Lott, or Woodson (after the switch from CB).

If he didn't have the Super Bowls from being on the most loaded defenses for 10 years, it might be a different conversation.

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[KINGOFOOTBALL]

Polamalu was the most systemless safety I think Ive ever seen.Im pretty sure he had the Deion sanders "do whatever you want" pass. Ed Reed was never an intimidating factor physically or in the run game. That's kind of the starting point for most great safeties. Not taking anything from him but the who was better there was literally a matter of taste , the end result was the same as two men who were absolutely dominant and impactful every game. He reminded me alot of Junior Seau in that naysayers always whined about some botched plays while overlooking the mind blowing streaks of plays and timing few were capable of.
What was Maddens old saying on Leroy Butler...the closer to the LOS he got the better he was ? IMO Troy was the best short yardage safety Ive ever seen. Easily one of the best overall.

I didn't see great coverage. I saw a man get burned often whose athletic ability allowed him to catch up to the ball while it was in the air and make plays.

Kinda like saying I didn't see a guy who was a great shooter he always just kinda heaved the ball up and it went into the basket.

[Senser81]

Kinda like saying I didn't see a guy who was a great shooter he always just kinda heaved the ball up and it went into the basket.

And then when he was 40 years old, he started missing some shots, thus negating his entire career and justifying the idea that he was just lucky.

[OnlyOneBeerLeft]

Interesting, can't find the groan button. Where was that announcement?

[Senser81]

Interesting, can't find the groan button. Where was that announcement?

Ironically, the only post in this thread that I have the ability to "groan" is yours. No need to thank me!

[Twigg4075]

Polamalu was awesome and had amazing hair. I hope he enjoys retirement. That is all.

[DDRGuido]

Ironically, the only post in this thread that I have the ability to "groan" is yours. No need to thank me!

After a couple days the ability to groan posts goes away I believe.

[Shayn•Da•Pain]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZP3rDu506E