By Jessica Costello
SteelerNation.com
As the finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame are being prepared for the Hall of Fame Class of 2020, one Pittsburgh Steelers candidate is being praised by former 'foes.'
Rivals of the Steelers have been speaking out on Troy Polamalu's legacy and the mark he's left behind for the game of football. Polamalu is on the ballot for the very first time since his retirement.
Former linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens, Ray Lewis, gave his opinion, saying he was "probably the best player on that team."
You can watch the full video on the link below:
New England Patriots', Tom Brady, also chimed in on why he thinks Polamalu should be a first-ballot player. There were things that really stood out to Brady that made Polamalu's game truly special, but hard to play against.
Former #Steelers S Troy Polamalu is a finalist in his 1st year for potential induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (voting in one week from tonight). #Patriots QB Tom Brady offered this powerful statement re: playing against Troy: pic.twitter.com/wwUt9yqOcl
— Burt Lauten (@SteelersPRBurt) January 25, 2020
“One key to success for a quarterback is to study a lot of film in order to understand defensive tendencies and know how the defense will try to defend everything you are trying to do as an offense. But that never worked against Troy [Polamalu]. He was one of the most instinctive players I have every played against. Outside of his incredible athleticism, his greatest skill was his unpredictability. You could never quite get a bead on what he was doing, yet, he was always around the ball. Troy was just a playmaker you had to account for on every play. It was amazing to watch film of him and try to understand how he knew where to be and when. If you wanted to find Troy, you just looked to where the ball was going and you would always find him.”
Considering many call him the greatest quarterback to ever play in the NFL, comments coming from players like that show the level of respect that the league has for Polamalu. No matter the rivalry between the teams, players know the level of effort candidates for the Hall of Fame give off.
This week, Polamalu will find out if he will be a first-ballot candidate or not. Mostly everyone thinks he is deserving of that title but we will have to wait and see how the week plays out.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Will Polamalu be a first-ballot talent for the Hall of Fame Class of 2020? Let us know what you think in the comments section below and tell us what your favorite Steelers moment was with him.
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