The Pittsburgh Steelers announced on Friday that Troy Polamalu has retired.
Polamalu, 33, spent his entire 12-year career with the Steelers. He was arguably the best safety in the NFL for a number of years and helped Pittsburgh win two Super Bowls. Polamalu was named to eight Pro Bowl teams and was an All-Pro five times.
“Troy is a shining example of a football man in the way he loved the game, the way he respected the game and the way he played the game,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said in a statement, via the team’s official website. “It’s a shining example of the window into who he is. He is a legendary Steeler and a legendary man. I congratulate him and wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”
Polamalu was set to carry a cap hit of $8.25 million next season. His skills have rapidly declined over the last two years, and he was having trouble staying healthy. Last month, a report indicated that the Steelers were hoping Polamalu retired so they did not have to make a difficult and potentially unpopular decision with one of their franchise’s most beloved players.
They got their wish. The next stop for Polamalu will likely be the Hall of Fame.
