Long-Time Steelers Rivals Reveal Why Troy Polamalu Was The Perfect "Polite Competitor"

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had some of the most terrifying defensive players in history on their legendary teams. The images of Jack Lambert leering at the camera with his missing teeth, Joe Greene kicking a Cleveland Browns defender in the groin, or James Harrison mean mugging across the line of scrimmage, thrill fans and give opponents nightmares. However, there is another Steelers defender who didn't appear scary, but absolutely tormented opposing offenses. That was safety, Troy Polamalu. 

Polamalu spent his entire 12-year career in the Steel City after being drafted in the first round in 2003. He got off to a slow start as a rookie, but never looked back once he got the hang of playing in the NFL. He finished his career with 32 interceptions, 783 tackles, 14 forced fumbles, 12 sacks, and three defensive touchdowns. 

Recently, former New England Patriots Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski reminisced about playing against Polamalu on the podcast Dudes on Dudes. They said that Polamalu was one of the toughest players in the AFC. They acknowledged his explosive style, ball-hawking abilities, and long flowing hair. Polamalu was a two-time Super Bowl winner, an eight-time Pro Bowler, a four-time First Team All-Pro, and the 2010 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020, and they called him one of the best to ever play.     

"He was like the god of all gods," recalled Edelman. "He was just a f***ing maniac on the field. He was the nicest dude. He used to hit guys and do a little prayer afterward because he was so nice. I had to block him a couple of times, and he leveraged me out of bounds, but he never blew me up. He was a polite competitor. He was all about his business, and he was one of the guys you don't want to tick off. Imagine how much worse those hits would hurt if you ticked him off."

Gronkowski said that he always admired his ball-hawking abilities; he said Polamalu had an uncanny ability to find the ball and blow up the play in progress. He said even if the offense found a way to contain Polamalu. It sprung other defensive players free to wreak havoc. 

He joked that Polamalu spent more time in their backfield than in the defensive backfield. That came in part because he was so good at timing the snap. Gronkowski said he was the best in the game at jumping the snap. That is a skill that current Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt has also perfected. 

The Steelers' Defense Is Holding Back Their Best Plays

The 2024 Steelers are currently 10-3 and have their sights set on the postseason. While this isn't quite the 2008 Steelers defense, it is comprised of some outstanding players who are having a big impact. That includes Watt, Cameron Heyward, Alex Highsmith, and Minkah Fitzpatrick. 

In the most recent rankings from Fox Sports, Pittsburgh has the seventh overall defense. They are fourth against the rush, but struggle more in the passing game, where they are ranked 17th. They have best been able to stop their opponents on third downs, where they rank second only to the Detroit Lions. 

This group has been giving offenses fits all season, and since they are playing more complementary football, the defense has time to recover and remain effective. However, the Steelers are facing a brutal stretch of games within a short timeframe, which no team should face. They have three games scheduled in just 10 days, and all three are against some of the best teams in the league. 

That is why Chris Carter, from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, believes they are holding back and slowly showing more and more. He said they aren't going to unleash all of their best plays, but rather save a few to help in these difficult matchups. 

Is "polite competitor" a fair description of Polamalu? Click to comment below. 

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