Troy Polamalu

• Born: April 19, 1981
• Place of Birth: Garden Grove, California

Athlete

Troy Polamalu spent twelve years playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League (NFL). Drafted in the spring of 2003, he received eight Pro Bowl selections, six All-Pro selections, won two Super Bowl championships, and was named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2010. After retiring from the Steelers in 2015, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020.

Full name: Troy Aumua Polamalu

Birth name: Troy Aumua

Area of achievement: Sports

Early Life

The youngest of five children, Troy Polamalu was born in Garden Grove, California, on April 19, 1981. He is of Samoan descent. Polamalu’s parents divorced when he was young, leaving his mother to raise her children on her own. She struggled to keep Polamalu under control, and by the age of eight, surrounded by crime, he was already on the streets and breaking into homes. Polamalu’s mother sent him to live in Oregon with his uncle and cousins, whereupon his fortunes changed; surrounded by a strong community of family and friends, he began to behave better.

Polamalu’s first experience with football was at Douglas High School in Winston, Oregon. There he excelled as both a running back and a defensive back. He also showed talent in baseball and basketball, but while he received accolades for his abilities in all sports, it was his success on the football field that would guide his future.

Throughout his high school career, Polamalu averaged six touchdowns a year, and he was chosen for the 1998 Super Prep All-Northwest team. He was named one of the top one hundred high-school football players in the western United States by the Tacoma News and was selected to the second team of the All–Far West League. After graduating from high school, Polamalu was offered a full scholarship to play football at the University of Southern California (USC).

Life’s Work

Polamalu began his career at USC in 1999. He spent his first year as a backup player, appearing in eight games. Polamalu made the most of his time on the field, recording two sacks, forcing two fumbles, and blocking a punt. The following season, he began appearing as a starter at the strong-safety position, where he improved on his statistics from the previous season. By the time he concluded his playing career at USC, Polamalu was a three-year starter. He collected 278 tackles and six interceptions and was twice named to the college football All-American team.

Although an injury during his senior year forced him to miss the Orange Bowl, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine, Polamalu was still able to impress Pittsburgh Steelers scouts during workouts at the USC-hosted Pro Day. The Steelers selected Polamalu as the sixteenth overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, making him the only safety ever selected by the organization in the first round. Amid high expectations, he signed a five-year contract with the Steelers worth over $8 million. Polamalu quickly developed into the centerpiece of the Pittsburgh defense, his incredible speed and ability to anticipate, read, and react to an opposing offense making him the perfect candidate to lead an NFL-caliber defense. His hard work during his first season was acknowledged by the Steelers organization when they presented him with the Joe Greene Great Performance Award, which is presented annually to an outstanding Steelers rookie.

Polamalu played in all sixteen game for the Steelers as a rookie in 2003, putting up modest numbers. However, he became a star in just his second year, as he was selected to the Pro Bowl. He was also named to the Pro Bowl in 2005 and 2006 Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl championship with the Steelers in February 2006. Prior to the 2007 season, the Steelers awarded Polamalu the largest contract in team history: a four-year contract extension worth over $30 million, making him the highest-paid safety in the league.

Polamalu won his second career Super Bowl championship with the Steelers in February 2009. He also played in the Pro Bowl for the final time that year, despite being selected again in 2011, 2012, and 2014.

The Steelers would make it to the postseason three more times during Polamalu's tenure. They finished first in the AFC North division in 2010. During the league championship against the New York Jets in December, Polamalu was responsible for four tackles and one assist, helping the team to victory. The 2011 Super Bowl proved successful for Polamalu, who notched three tackles, though for not his team: the Steelers were defeated narrowly by Green Bay Packers. For his performance in the postseason and leading the team in interceptions that season, Polamalu received a number of accolades.

In 2011, amid a player lockout, Polamalu returned to USC, graduating with his bachelor's degree in history that spring. After returning to play later in 2011, Polamalu and the Steelers finished second in their division but lost their only postseason game. The team would not make it to another postseason until 2014, when they failed to progress beyond the opening game of the postseason, but Polamalu tallied an impressive eight tackles.

On and off the field, one of Polamalu’s most identifiable characteristics is his long, black, fluffy hair. In 2010, he insisted that it had been at least eight or nine years since he had cut his hair. Polamalu’s hair became his trademark, leading Procter & Gamble to contract with him to endorse their Head & Shoulders shampoo. His commercials, in which he appeared with star Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, proved to be popular and were a TV staple from 2019 into the 2020s.

Polamalu retired from professional football in April 2015, having played 158 games and recording 783 tackles and twelve sacks. In 2019, he became the Head of Player Relations of the Alliance of American Football, a short-lived professional football league.

Significance

In addition to winning two championship rings, Polamalu became one of the most decorated defensive players in the NFL and was selected for eight Pro Bowls. At the conclusion of the 2010 season, he received the Walter Payton Man of the Year and was named the Steelers’ Most Valuable Player and NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Well known for his freelancing and aggressive gameplay, Polamalu was selected for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020.

Off the field, Polamalu and his wife, Theodora, founded the Harry Panos Fund in support of wounded soldiers. The fund is named for Theodora’s grandfather, a World War II veteran.

Bibliography

Breer, Albert, and Bob Bratkowski. “You Can’t Stop: ‘Once-in-a-Decade Talent.’” Sporting News, vol. 5, Jan. 2009, pp. 24–25.

Demasio, Nunyo. “The Mane Man.” Sports Illustrated, vol. 28, Nov. 2005, pp. 44–45.

Layden, Tim. “Like a Bolt of Pure Energy.” Sports Illustrated, vol. 24, Jan. 2011, p. 114.

Legwold, Jeff. “Steelers' Troy Polamalu, Colts' Edgerrin James elected to Hall of Fame.” ESPN, 1 Feb. 2020, www.espn.com/nfl/story/‗/id/28614718/steelers-troy-polamalu-colts-edgerrin-james-elected-hall-fame. Accessed 20 Aug. 2024.

Moser, Zachary. "Tiny Troy: Why The NFL's Troy Polamalu Is Head & Shoulders' Best Spokesperson." Screen Rant, 11 May 2024, screenrant.com/who-is-tiny-troy-polamalu-head-shoulders-spokesperson/. Accessed 20 Aug. 2024.

"Troy Polamalu." Football Reference, 2024, www.pro-football-reference.com/players/P/PolaTr99.htm. Accessed 20 Aug. 2024.