Steelers News Steelers Transactions
Troy Polamalu Elected to Hall of Fame, Alan Faneca Denied Again
PITTSBURGH, PA – One former Steelers great gets the call, or more literally, the knock on the door, while another has to wait (again). Safety Troy Polamalu has been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, but Guard Alan Faneca misses out for the fifth year in a row.
Troy Polamalu has been elected to the @ProFootballHOF Class of 2020! #PFHOF20
MORE: https://t.co/VKQ1KHWo1h pic.twitter.com/CWmF6mNX2b
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) February 1, 2020
Polamalu, who becomes the 80th player to be elected in his first year on the ballot in history, played 12 seasons for the Steelers from 2003-14 after being a first-round draft pick out of USC in 2003, winning two Super Bowls. He made eight Pro Bowls, was selected four times as a first-team All-Pro, received second-team All-Pro honors twice and was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2010.
Polamalu was previously selected as a member of the NFL’s 2000s all-decade team and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ all-time team. Polamalu was also recently inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. He finished his NFL career by playing in 158 games and recording 770 tackles, 12 sacks, 32 interceptions, 14 forced fumbles and scored three touchdowns.
While this year’s induction ceremony will have a major Steelers vibe to it with Polamalu joining a class that already includes Bill Cowher, Donnie Shell and Buddy Parker, it will also be bitter sweet for Steelers Nation with Faneca being left out.
Having multiple #Steelers be a part of the @ProFootballHOF Class of 2020 is a "great reflection of the #Steelers organization."@CowherCBS | #PFHOF20 pic.twitter.com/41RZoUuJ8P
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) February 1, 2020
The Steelers’ first-round pick out of LSU in 1998, Faneca played 13 NFL seasons, spending his first 10 years in Pittsburgh from 1998-07, taking part in the team’s Super Bowl XL victory. Over the course of his career, Faneca was named to nine Pro Bowls, was a six-time first-team All-Pro and a two-time second-team All-Pro. He was named to the NFL’s 2000s all-decade team and the Steelers’ All-Time Team.
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