The Pittsburgh Steelers' legacy of greatness is unrivaled by any team in NFL history. The Hall of Fame is full of Steelers legends as a wing literally needs to be built to house them all. The debate surrounding the All-Time Steelers greats is endless, but there is one in particular that is unique in that it encompasses the two best defensive players post Steel Curtain: Rod Woodson and Troy Polamalu.
Steelers Troy Polamalu takes the field in 2013 | Photo Credit: Steelers.com
The 2000s Steelers were a Dexter Jackson phone call in the bathroom away from having a completely different legacy. Fortunately for Steeler Nation, Jackson reneged on his verbal agreement to sign as a free agent. Equally thankful for Kevin Colbert and Bill Cowher bucking all Steelers history to trade up in the draft and select Troy Polamalu.
Bill Cowher would call Polamalu “conservatively aggressive” in how he knew when to take risks. Although it would drive Cowher crazy, he would still say there was no better student of the game.
Steelers' Troy Polamalu makes one of his legendary interceptions vs. the San Diego Chargers in 2008 | Photo Credit: Steelers.com
Polamalu was the centerpiece of the Defense of two Super Bowl Championships, but he went from great to legendary as part of the 2008 defense in the AFC Championship Game. Joe Flacco lined up, took the snap from the shotgun and looked right the entire time for Derrick Mason, meaning he did not see Polamalu dropping back into coverage.
Steelers' Troy Polamalu marches into the end zone to seal the AFC Championship | Photo Credit: Steelers.com
Out of nowhere, Polamalu reached up for Flacco’s pass, caught it at the 30, cut back across the field, and broke into the clear. After a block from Aaron Smith inside the five, all Polamalu had to do was take it across the goal line to send the Steelers to Super Bowl XLIII. Polamalu did so pointing up into the stands in iconic fashion.
It was the greatest play of his football career, and it was also the loudest and greatest moment in Heinz Field's history. However, there was one teammate who initially wasn’t happy with Troy’s runback effort.
"We were all screaming 'Troy go down! Go down! Go down!' He’s like, 'No, I’m goin’ to score.' Everybody was like go down and let the offense come in and kneel on the ball. Go down. That’s why you see all of us running around like crazy trying to get a block. We’re like, 'Just slide on the ground'," Harrison said.
After the result, James Harrison certainly changed his stance on the play. And ironically enough in the Super Bowl, his 100-yard interception return saw him on the other side of the returner needing blockers. But that is what the 2000s Steelers were all about, which is something legendary Defensive Coordinator Dick LeBeau cherished.
Dick LeBeau per Polamalu: The Inspirational Story of Pittsburgh Steelers Safety Troy Polamalu
“As I think back over the years, so many standout, critical plays come to my mind. But when they carry me out, the play that will be Troy to me was the interception against Baltimore to take us to the Super Bowl," LeBeau said.
Ike Taylor attributed it to how prepared Troy Polamalu was, having seen the same formation on tape and baiting the curl route. Bryant McFadden said that out of all the big games, it was the loudest Heinz Field had ever been. But Mike Tomlin probably summed it up the best.
Mike Tomlin per Polamalu: The Inspirational Story of Pittsburgh Steelers Safety Troy Polamalu
“To me, the Flacco pick was the most memorable play of Troy’s career, because of the gravity of the moment and the physical feel that the moment provided all of us. Um, the ground was shaking. That stadium was shaking," Tomlin said.
In 2010 against the Tennessee Titans, with Kerry Collins in for an injured Vince Young and set to attempt a QB sneak into the end zone from the Pittsburgh one, Polamalu flew arms first over the top of the line with perfect timing to drop Collins for a loss the instant he received the snap.
Kerry Collins per Polamalu: The Inspirational Story of Pittsburgh Steelers Safety Troy Polamalu
“You know, I never saw him. Never saw him. I turned around and he was already on top of me. I looked up and all I saw was hair in my facemask," Collins said.
Troy Polamalu per Polamalu: The Inspirational Story of Pittsburgh Steelers Safety Troy Polamalu
"I can honestly say there’s been one time in eight years when I just did whatever I wanted to do on a play. That was this one, it was a complete guess. The rest of the time I have a responsibility. Now, if I can see that there’s no threat in my area of responsibility, that’s where the creativity comes in," Polamalu said.
Steelers Troy Polamalu dives over the top to tackle Kerry Collins | Photo Credit: CBS Sports
It was the third instance of Polamalu timing a leap over the line of scrimmage to either stop a quarterback sneak or indirectly blow up a play. In all three instances, the offense was stopped for no gain or loss.
Polamalu was voted the 2010 Defensive Player of the Year as well as the Walter Peyton Man of the Year to earn the recognition he was long overdue for. Ironically, while the Steelers did reach but did not win Super Bowl XLV, there was no question they wouldn’t have even been in a position to win a third Super Bowl in six years without Polamalu’s outstanding season. Many of Polamalu's seven interceptions came in the fourth quarter or the red zone to decide four wins, but the biggest play again came against the Ravens.
Steelers' Troy Polamalu strip sacks Joe Flacco in 2010 | Photo Credit: Steelers.com
The AFC North was at stake and the Ravens were leading 10-6 with 3:22 left in the fourth quarter physical bloodbath of a game. It was Polamalu getting that “Spidey Sense” and blitzing, flying off the edge to hack Joe Flacco’s arm for the big, late defensive play. Lamar Woodley recovered the fumble and Ben Roethlisberger punched it in for the score that positioned the Steelers' postseason run.
Dick LeBeau per Polamalu: The Inspirational Story of Pittsburgh Steelers Safety Troy Polamalu
"That play by Troy was critical to our season. Think about it. I mean for us to get the home field and all the things that ensued along the way to the Super Bowl, you can go back to that play. And that play was all Troy," LeBeau said.
Verdict:
Rod Woodson was arguably the better player for the length of his career, while Troy Polamalu’s legacy with the Steelers is unquestionably better. The Steelers' regretful decision to move on from Woodson in 1997 likely cost them at least one if not two Super Bowls. Both players had an injury that was a large factor in not winning Super Bowl XXX and Super Bowl XLV respectively. Both are legends and it’s how they are evaluated that really distinguishes the winner of the debate.
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