First Call: Troy Polamalu now at ease with end of career; Steelers outside linebacker depth questioned; Najee Harris for team MVP?

Wednesday’s “First Call” shares an in-depth conversation with Pittsburgh Steelers legend Troy Polamalu. We find an odd prediction for the 2021 Steelers team MVP. Concerns about the Steelers depth at outside linebacker are extending beyond Pittsburgh. And the Robert Morris women’s hockey program had a banner night.

Even if the university itself doesn’t want it to exist anymore.

Troy’s tales

WTAE’s Andrew Stockey went out to California to interview Troy Polamalu in advance of his Hall of Fame induction in August. Among the highlights, Polamalu claims his Hall of Fame speech still isn’t finished even though he has had over a year to work on it, and he does not yet have a great idea of what he wants to say.

“Not really. Because I don’t think you can define your whole career in a speech,” Polamalu told Stockey. “If you haven’t conveyed that message in your entire career, then you are wasting that message in your eight-minute speech.”

Polamalu also admitted that when the Steelers essentially pushed him into retirement after the 2014 season, he wasn’t thrilled about it. But he seems to be at peace with that decision now.

“Was it my decision to end a Steeler? It was not,” Polamalu explained. “But I’m so grateful because it was absolutely the most perfect time for me to retire. It took me a while to realize that.”

Polamalu said that time frame was roughly six months. But now in his words, “Without a shadow of a doubt, I’m so grateful to the organization.”

He also claims that his kids miss Pittsburgh and would ditch the Southern California weather to come back.

Troy needs to have a talk with his kids. Maybe he should do it sometime back here in February.

Early start to the campaign

NFL.com is predicting a team MVP for each club in the AFC. And their choice for the Steelers is a gamble.

It’s rookie running back Najee Harris.

Writer Dan Hanzus said, “Ben Roethlisberger isn’t the guy who should be trying to put the offense on his back anymore, so why not hand that task to a 23-year-old, first-round pick bursting with potential? Harris is a bruising, born-for-the-AFC-North type of runner with the accompanying receiving skills necessary to keep him on the field for three downs. Pittsburgh’s offense needs to head in a fresh, new direction, and it’s Harris who will likely lead the way.”

Hey, no one is a bigger backer of the Harris pick in the first round than I have been. But running behind the Steelers patchwork offensive line as a rookie may be too much of a challenge to overcome, even given Harris’ talent.

Also, seeing as how the players vote for that honor, I bet Harris would probably have to run for 2,000 yards before he got that award. I mean, even when Roethlisberger won his first 15 games as a rookie starter in 2004, James Farrior won the team MVP.

Then again, the last time a rookie did take that award, it was a first-year back named Harris — Franco Harris in 1972.

Soooo … it’s not just me?

I’ve been pretty vocal regarding my concerns about a lack of depth at the Steelers outside linebacker position.

T.J. Watt is great. Then it’s an unproven second-year starter in Alex Highsmith, a journeyman backup in Cassius Marsh and a sixth-round rookie in Quincy Roche. And that’s just about it.

On ESPN.com Tuesday, Bill Barnwell found “the most vulnerable spot” on every team. He chose the edge rusher spot for the Steelers.

“In an organization that has no peer when it comes to drafting and developing defensive players, the starters look just fine. Behind those two? Not so much. Owing to their cap issues, the Steelers weren’t able to add much on the edge and used most of their draft picks to supplement a flailing offense … Any sort of change to Watt’s status would leave a win-now Pittsburgh team in a vulnerable situation. Highsmith is a promising player, but would he really be ready to be the best edge rusher on a Super Bowl contender?”

No. I doubt he would. I’d also doubt the use of the phrase “Super Bowl” contender for the Steelers under those circumstances. But that’s mainly because of the state of the offensive line, which I find even more vulnerable than their pass-rushing depth.

From ‘parts unknown’

Their university may have disbanded their team, but a trio of players from the Robert Morris women’s team carried the Colonials legacy into the National Women’s Hockey League draft Tuesday night.

The Buffalo Beauts selected defenseman Emilie Harley second overall. She was followed shortly thereafter by teammate Anjelica Diffendal. The product of Montour High School was a forward with the Colonials and was also selected by Buffalo. Then fellow forward Leah Marino was selected 16th by the Toronto Six.

So that’s three of the top 16 in the women’s draft from Robert Morris’ 2021 CHA championship team.

Not bad for a program the university wants to ditch.