Troy Polamalu will be presented to the Pro Football Hall of Fame by the man who coached him for virtually his entire Pittsburgh Steelers career.
Dick LeBeau, the long-time Steelers defensive coordinator, will present Polamalu when he is inducted into the Hall of Fame on Aug. 7 at Tom Benson Stadium in Canton, Ohio.
Polamalu hinted at his choice of LeBeau in a social media post Tuesday, and the Hall of Fame confirmed the announcement Wednesday on Twitter.
“Can you please tell them that all I did was follow you,” Polamalu wrote in a Twitter post that included a picture of him and LeBeau.
Can you please tell them that all I did was follow you... #eachoneteachone pic.twitter.com/hs3MljYmOm
— Troy Polamalu (@tpolamalu) May 18, 2021
With the exception of his rookie season in 2003, Polamalu spent the final 11 years of his career with LeBeau serving as his defensive coordinator. Polamalu retired after the 2014 season, and LeBeau resigned his position following that season.
LeBeau, 83, earned his gold jacket as a Pro Football Hall of Fame member in 2010. He last coached in 2017 with the Tennessee Titans.
Polamalu was elected on his first ballot as a member of the 2020 class, which had its induction ceremony delayed until this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Polamalu is part of a class that also includes former coach Bill Cowher and fellow former safety Donnie Shell.
Class of 2020 enshrinee @tpolamalu will have Gold Jacket and former @steelers Def. Coordinator Dick LeBeau serve as his presenter at the #PFHOF20 Enshrinement. pic.twitter.com/JYvttrxlBq
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) May 19, 2021
Alan Faneca and Bill Nunn will represent the Steelers in the Class of 2021, which will be inducted Aug. 8.
Polamalu was a member of two Super Bowl championship teams. He was a four-time first-team All-Pro selection, and he was named the NFL defensive player of the year in 2010.
“He could go from point A to point B like no one I’ve seen,” LeBeau said in 2014 shortly after Polamalu’s retirement. “The best safety I’ve ever seen.”
