Troy Polamalu
Troy Polamalu
Troy Aumua Polamaluis a former American football strong safety who played his entire twelve-year career for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He played college football for the University of Southern California, and earned consensus All-American honors. He was chosen by the Steelers in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He was a member of two of the Steelers' Super Bowl championship teams, and was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2010...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionFootball Player
Date of Birth19 April 1981
CityGarden Grove, CA
CountryUnited States of America
Everything's been such a whirlwind since the AFC (Championship Game). Everything's great -- just coming straight from the Super Bowl to the Pro Bowl and getting the congratulations from all of these other great players who have had great careers and great seasons, obviously. It's a blessing, that's for sure.
Well, we know what to expect, but it is a very different situation than earlier in the season. We both have playoff experience and they are very tough at home. It will be very tough for us.
To me, he is the MVP of that team. He's a very accurate thrower. He feels very confident with their offense. His scrambling ability gives their offense another avenue as well. He's been playing great, and I think that's why they've been successful. They can't click without him.
It's not just me. It's everybody. That's the great thing about our team. We all played our parts and our role. No big stars.
I am proud of my heritage and have happily taken advantage of every opportunity to educate my teammates and Steeler Nation about American Samoa, both as a player and in the community, through the Troy and Theodora Polamalu Foundation Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation.
There's so much built-up camaraderie and sacrifice, and football is such a tough man's game. I think that's why it's so popular. That's why so many blue-collar communities and people can really feel attracted to this because it is a blue-collar struggle that football players go through.
It takes a tremendous amount of skill to be a football player. And some of these guys have enough skills to do other sports. Soccer could be one. Basketball could be another. Things where you need incredible hand-eye coordination are always options. I think a football player would be able to adapt to a lot of sports.
The best thing about football for me is the reacting. It's a lot of instincts. But training, for me, it's more for the meditating. And I spend more time training than actually playing football. So I get into that zone during training more than anything.
When people say that you kind of just get - you know, just feel like a little buzzed or dazed or had your bell rung - they consider that a concussion. I wouldn't. But if that is considered a concussion, I would say any football player at least records 50 to 100 in the course of a year.
I see everything in his game. He's still one of the players who provides you with the mold about how to play the game.
He makes me a lot better. I couldn't imagine playing with anyone else. He's very disciplined. He knows our defense really well. He helps me get lined up a lot, and he makes up for a lot of the mistakes I make and everybody makes on defense.
You've got to be sound in your approach to playing him. If you're not disciplined, and if you don't take the right angle, he'll burn you.
I made a nice highlight tape of him last year. He's definitely a safety I watch. I saw every single one of the plays he played in last year and I took a lot from him.
I try to take what's given to me and then mold it to be a better football player.