BREAKING NEWS: Polamalu Announces Retirement
Longtime Pittsburgh Steeler, 2-time Super Bowl champion, and 8-time Pro Bowler Troy Polamalu has informed Steelers owner Dan Rooney that he intends to retire from the NFL after a storied 12-year career. As first reported by the Uniontown, PA Union-Herald’s Jim Wexell, Polamalu’s decision boiled down to family:
“I did not seriously consider playing elsewhere,” Polamalu said. “It was just whether or not I wanted to play. I had talked to a lot of people about what I should do with my situation, and what they kept saying back to me, and which was not a sufficient reason, was ‘Troy, you played 12 years in the NFL, you won Super Bowls, won individual awards. There’s nothing left to prove. You have a legacy.’ And I just kept saying, ‘First of all, I don’t care about a legacy. Second of all, I play the game because I enjoy it.’ That’s the reason to keep playing.
“Like I said, what it came down to was definitely family. If I’m in my fourth year, fifth year, even if I’m in my 10th year, I’m playing in Alaska. But when I started this process and started to debate whether I should come back or should I play, that was kind of the sign for me to say ‘Whoa, if you’re just even debating it maybe you shouldn’t play anymore,’ because what I do know about this game is it takes a lot –a lot – of commitment just to be an average player.”
Reaction has been pouring in on social media, with fans, media, and teammates all expressing their respect and love for one of the best to ever play his position:
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