Troy Polamalu Opens Up About Steelers Split, ‘Grateful’ He Retired When He Did

Ahead of his Hall of Fame induction next month, former Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu sat down with WTAE-TV’s Andrew Stockey to discuss his life after football and Steelers tenure.

While the relationship between Polamalu and the franchise had been strained after his retirement in 2014, he revealed that he has since come to terms with the split and realized that it was ultimately the right move for both parties.

“Was it my decision to end a Steeler, it was not. But I’m so grateful, because it was the absolutely the most perfect time for me to retire,” Polamalu said.

Polamalu added that it took him about six months to come to terms with the divorce, and joked that eating fast food, drinking soda and scaling back his training all made him accept that retirement was the right move for him at the time.

Polamalu also revealed that he still has not written his Hall of Fame enshrinement speech, and is more looking forward to the remarks of his fellow inductees.

“I don’t think you can define your whole career in a speech,” Polamalu said.

Selected in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft, Polamalu left Pittsburgh as one of the best safeties in league history. Not only did he win a pair of Super Bowls in Pittsburgh, but he was also named a Pro Bowler eight times, received First-Team All-Pro honors on four occasions and won 2010 NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Polamalu totaled 783 total tackles, 56 tackles-for-loss, 32 interceptions, 14 forced fumbles, 12 sacks and five defensive touchdowns over his 12-year career.