Wiping tears from his eyes with a Terrible Towel, an emotional Troy Polamalu talked about writing the Hall of Fame speech that preceded his appearance Sunday night at Heinz Field.

Polamalu, along with Bill Cowher, Alan Faneca and Donnie Shell, received their Pro Football Hall of Fame rings during a halftime ceremony at the Pittsburgh Steelers game against the Seattle Seahawks.

Polamalu was asked about the moving speech he gave Aug. 7 when he was inducted into the Canton, Ohio, museum. Much like the success he had during his 12-year Steelers career, Polamalu couldn’t take full credit for the words that flowed so beautifully that night.

Polamalu was in isolation at home with his wife, Theodora, after testing positive for covid-19 the week before his induction. He shared with her the speech he planned to give after he learned of his election in 2020.

“When I shared it with my wife, she said, ‘You were going to write that?’ ” Polamalu said. “That is why I was so nervous. I also realized when we worked on it together, that it was a beautiful dedication of my career.”

The Polamalus polished the speech that ended up getting so much attention during the Hall of Fame weekend.

“I’ve had such great feedback about the speech, but I could never claim it as my own because my wife and I did it together,” Polamalu said. “I can only get so far. With my wife and I, together it brings everything to fruition. I can never claim something like that as my own. My wife was such a big part of my speech.”

Polamalu’s visit to Heinz Field was his first since he retired following the 2014 season. Although his return was a long time coming, Polamalu didn’t view it as a special occasion.

“I lived in this community,” he said. “This community was really family to me. To me, whether it was the many high school stadiums that I’ve watched all the football teams I wasn’t even associated with … being in those crowds, being in basketball crowds, raising my kids in youth sports here, that’s what I loved about this community. And everyone here is a fan of the Steelers.”

Given the way he embraced the community, Polamalu said his attendance wasn’t “any different than Giant Eagle for me because it’s just Pittsburgh, it’s home. I never saw myself really just as a Pittsburgh Steeler, but as a member of the community.”

Cowher fulfilled his broadcast duties Sunday morning as part of the CBS pregame show, then boarded a flight from New York so he could collect his ring.

“I looked forward to coming here tonight and being part of this and seeing the fans,” Cowher said. “I think it’s one of the best fan bases in professional sports. They are knowledgeable, passionate and they hold you to high standards, and they expect the best.”

Every time he returns to Pittsburgh, Cowher is asked whether he misses coaching. He has resisted urges to return to the sideline since he left the Steelers after the 2006 season, but he appreciates the reminders.

“Walking onto that field brings so many memories,” Cowher said. “It’s the mindset you have, the feeling you have, the butterflies in your stomach. You feel the energy, the passion, the history and tradition.”

Faneca was feted at Heinz Field in 2018 as part of the franchise’s second Hall of Honor class. It was a moving experience for him then, and he anticipated the emotions increasing exponentially Sunday night.

“When I got into the Hall of Honor and we went out on the field, I didn’t think I would get caught up in the moment as much as I did,” he said. “You think, ‘I’ve been there and done it before,’ but when you get to these special moments like that, it does catch you. I am sure that after going through that, it will catch me as well (tonight).”

As much as Shell was eager to attend the ring ceremony because of what it signified, he also was looking forward to reuniting with former teammates, a group that included a few fellow Hall of Famers.

Like Cowher, he missed the alumni weekend dinner Saturday night. He was being honored by his alma mater, South Carolina State, as part of fundraising efforts for the school’s athletics department.

“I’ve truly missed the camaraderie,” Shell said. “When I got back tonight, I was joking with Mel Blount and Joe Greene on the bus, and that’s the thing you miss about this gathering. But it’s always good to be back in the city of Pittsburgh.”

The Steelers’ final inductee from this summer, the late former scout Bill Nunn, also was recognized at halftime. His grandaughter, Cydney Nunn, accepted his ring on his behalf.

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