Troy Polamalu, the great Pittsburgh Steelers safety who’s a lock for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has retired. One of the most recognizable players in the NFL for the long hair that flowed from beneath his helmet, Polamalu won two Super Bowl rings and was All-Pro five times. He anchored the formidable Pittsburgh secondary for 12 successful years.
Rather than test the free agent market, Polamalu told Scout.com’s Jim Wexell that he “did not seriously consider playing elsewhere. It was just whether or not I wanted to play.” Ultimately Polamalu decided his career was complete–and that it should end where it began, in Pittsburgh. The insight came to him from a simple fact: he found himself debating whether he should play or not. The NFL is an all-or-nothing proposition, Polamalu understands better than most, and the internal debate was enough to tell Polamalu he was through.
From a franchise filled with great football players, Troy Polamalu goes down as one of the greatest of all.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 10, 2015
