Early adversity molded Troy Polamalu into having Hall of Fame career with Steelers

Despite the ease and excellence with which he played the safety position for 12 NFL seasons, Troy Polamalu didn’t exactly project to have a Hall of Fame career when he rarely left the sidelines for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2003.

The hardware he accumulated with the Steelers — two Super Bowl titles, eight Pro Bowl selections, the 2010 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award — tends to make one forget Polamalu didn’t start a game in his rookie season.

Polamalu, of course, overcame his early struggles and will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. His appearance at the event is uncertain because of his positive covid test, but Hall officials are working to clear Polamalu to participate.

In a video conference call last month, Polamalu talked about the rocky start to his career and how it inspired him to achieve greatness.

“You question yourself,” he said. “I almost would say my rookie season was similar to my freshman season (in college). What you’re learning now in your freshman season is similar to what a lot of NFL players experience as rookies. You go through a lot of doubts. You’re away from college and the protection of coaches and the college system, and you’re starting your adventure into adulthood.

“My rookie season, I started to question my purpose and whether football was for me. My rookie season was not enjoyable nor was it very successful.”

Polamalu was so disheartened by the difficulty he had grasping the Steelers defense that he found himself at a crossroad.

“I had a real conversation with myself,” he said. “Either you’re going all in or all out. If you’re not all in, there may not be a career.”

Bill Cowher, his coach for the first four seasons of his career, admitted the Steelers “threw a lot of things” at Polamalu.

“Just to watch him evolve as a player, it was special,” Cowher said.

Polamalu’s second season coincided with the return of Dick LeBeau as defensive coordinator. LeBeau made his young safety a focal part of his gameplan, and Polamalu started all 16 games, intercepting five passes and attaining his first Pro Bowl nod.

LeBeau and Polamalu remained a tandem until they each departed after the 2014 season, and it wasn’t a surprise Polamalu picked his former defensive coordinator to present him at the enshrinement ceremony.

Despite all of the success Polamalu achieved, he picked that rookie season as the most influential of his career.

“As humiliating as it was, if I had not gone through the process of that sort of molding, of being put through the furnace of adversity and doubt and really attacking that in a way that was calculating and methodical … it set in motion the rest of my career and gave me a template that I could work from,” he said. “It was much needed in my life, not as a football player but as a person, husband and father. I’m appreciative of that adversity.”

When Polamalu retired after the 2014 season, he did so reluctantly. Although he didn’t earn a Pro Bowl selection for the first time in a full season since his rookie year, Polamalu thought he had more to offer the Steelers.

He since has had a change of heart.

“My career ended at the most perfect time,” Polamalu said. “I’m so grateful that I’m here today with the faculties that I have, with the health that I have, with my family and being able to experience the memories I’ve had had I not continued to play.”

Troy Polamalu file

Age: 40

Hometown: Garden Grove, Calif.

Years with Steelers: 2003-14

Super Bowl titles: 2 (XL-XLIII)

Hall of Fame: 2020 Centennial Class, elected Feb. 1, 2020

Years as HOF finalist: 1 (2020)

Noteworthy: Played 12 seasons and 158 games with the Steelers after being a first-round draft pick in 2003. … Had 32 career interceptions and three that were returned for touchdowns. Also had touchdowns on two fumble recoveries. … Selected to the Pro Bowl eight times and was a four-time, first-team All-Pro pick. … Named NFL defensive player of the year in 2010 when he had seven interceptions. He also was named Steelers’ MVP that season. … Named to NFL’s all-decade team in the 2000s.

What he is saying: “It’s tough to separate Pittsburgh fans from the city of Pittsburgh. If you’re in Pittsburgh and you’re not a Steelers fan, you’re not from Pittsburgh. You’re kind of a passerby.”

What others are saying: “He was a guy you had to game plan for, a guy who at times you did not want to harness. The more you got to know Troy, there was always a reasoning behind the things that he did. He was just a unique football player who had a special skill set. He’s just a good guy, too.” – Bill Cowher.