Russell Stuvaints: “Troy Polamalu always wore these reggae shirts. We didn’t know who those guys on his shirts were. One day he wore one with Peter Tosh on it – we didn’t know who he was but it was a picture of a small guy with dreadlocks. We called Troy Peter Tush because of that one.”
Ike Taylor: “Troy was great- he was Michael Jackson and we were the Jackson 5. We were the other guys and figured to get some fame too. But he didn’t want the fame. When you see that, you fall back.”
Darren Perry: “He would study all the time. Before one game versus the Bengals, we talked about a play they ran in a certain formation. They ran 100% of the time in that formation.
So, in the game, the Bengals are in the red zone. The call came in and Troy was supposed to be in coverage. But instead Troy blitzes and makes a play in the backfield. Cowher yelled at me “What was Troy doing? He can’t do that!” I told him that sometimes I don’t know what Troy was thinking. Troy – he was always in control. When he came to the sidelines, Cowher was glaring at me as I was talking to him. I asked him what he was thinking. I knew Cowher was watching me – and I’m only in my second year coaching so I’m nervous. “They were in the I Left formation you said they ran out of 100% of the time. Isn’t that what I was supposed to do?” he asked. Well, I told Bill what happened. He asked me if that was right – if I told him that. I told him it was right on the tip sheet. Cowher just said “Well, tell him to be careful!” When I told him Troy just laughed. He knew Cowher was mad at me at first.”
Mike Logan: “Ironically, the person who taught me the most about life off the field is younger than me. Troy Polamalu lives a life that glorifies God. I learned so much just by observing his behavior. I continue to look up to him by the way he carries himself. He helped me spiritually mature”
Chris Hoke: “Troy Polamalu was always doing pranks on the field. He’d roll up tape into a ball and stuff it into the trainer’s horn so when he blew it during practice no sound came out.”
Chris Fuamatu-Ma’afala “My ties with Troy {Polamalu} are still tight. He was a rookie when I was there and he’s “Uncle Troy” to my kids. I can’t wait to go back and probably will again this year.”
Hines Ward: “Troy was constantly pranking everybody. He was the jokester.”
Hebron Fangupo: “Oh yeah. Troy {Polamalu} truly had a fat man’s heart for roasted pig. I invited him over to my apartment once for roasted pig – a woman in the elevator recognized him and literally just froze solid. I think she almost passed out!
We got to my apartment and my mom had no idea who he was. My wife explained to her – he was a superstar player – the Head and Shoulders guy. Well, my mom tells me to get him a bowl of water, soap, and a towel. He shouldn’t have to get up to wash his hands! Then he pulled out a picture of his kids. They were on Sesame Street. I was like what, are you trying to show me up? We laughed at that. Troy is a good guy.”
Kendall Simmons: “Troy Polamalu! One night, Troy and a couple of the guy were hanging out. They decided to play a prank on my wife and I at 3 a.m. They rang our doorbell and ran away after leaving old food at our door. They came back again and this time, I let my Great Dane out on them. A year or so passed by until I found that Troy was behind it all.”
Travis Kirschke: “With the Steelers we had a lot of guys that would loosen things up. Troy (Polamalu) would put together a mix of songs and play them during our stretching. He would have songs from the past to the present so everyone could take part”
Willie Williams: “Having someone like Troy in the secondary will allow a corner to be more aggressive on the routes because you know if Troy is on a blitz he will get there or even in a cover 2 he will be over top. I had that opportunity to play with Troy my last two years of my career and he’s by far one of the best safeties that ever played the game, in my opinion. Troy Polamalu reminds me of Carnell Lake. He plays with aggressiveness, speed and with covering ability, just like Carnell did.”
Jovon Johnson: “One thing I remember. In the first game of the season we played Baltimore. We were playing Cover Two – I was pressing the receiver. Troy Polamalu was supposed to be the safety covering my side but I looked over and he was in the box. I was waving to him – I didn’t know if he knew what the play was – I was yelling at him asking what he was doing. Well, they threw the ball, and I looked and saw Troy had intercepted the ball twenty yards downfield! When we got to the sidelines I told him he had me clueless. He just told me not to worry about him!”
Dallas Baker: “When my daughter was born, I remember we were playing Cleveland. I couldn’t decide whether I should go to the game or go be there for her birth. Coach Tomlin said this stuff happens, that I shouldn’t be down. They offered to send me home but I was worried that I would get cut. Troy Polamalu said that if I wanted to I could leave and he’d pay my salary if I got cut. Ben offered to call his jet and fly me down. I was just ungrateful and couldn’t see all of that. They tried to take care of me, I remember Troy Polamalu putting his arms around me, when I learned it was going to be a difficult birth.”
Roy Lewis: “Gosh. The whole secondary. Physically, Troy Polamalu was always an asset. I sat in his chair and he didn’t make me move – that’s how he was. We were both West-Coasters – there weren’t a lot of us on the team. He looked out for me”
Shaun Nua: “Off the field, Troy was always a person I’d go talk to if I needed to talk to someone about life in general”
Carnell Lake: “Like Troy. Darren Perry was his coach when Troy was a pup. Darren told me it was a challenge at first getting Troy ready. He would take extra time with him. Once he came around though and started making plays within the scheme, LeBeau felt more confident giving him more opportunities.”
Lee Mays: ” Troy – people see him as quiet and soft-spoken, and he was – then some. But he also played a lot of jokes.”
Grant Mason: “When I got to camp I had a lot to catch up on. I sat in meetings next to guys like Clark and Troy and had to learn on the fly. I asked them questions and they were all very confident. The older guys were helpful because they knew they were secure.”
Chris Carter: “Troy and his wife also looked after me too, being West Coast people like I was.”
Isaiah Green: “Troy Palamalu was one of the first to welcome me with a generous gift to a steak house.”
Alameda Ta’amu: “I was a kid. Troy took me and my wife out – I just didn’t get what he was telling me either. I didn’t know who I was or who I was supposed to be.”
Doug Legursky: “There was a line of urinals. I was standing there when Troy Polamalu came in and stood right next to me. Now, the guy code says you leave a urinal in between you when you can. So I thought it was weird. But what can I say, it’s Troy Polamalu. Then all of the sudden I feel something splash on me – he was peeing on my foot, I thought. I said “Dude!” Then I saw he had a plastic Gatorade bottle that he put a hole in the top of and was squirting it at my feet. It was a rookie hazing move.
Then he said in that sweet Troy voice “What were you thinking?” He was Troy Polamalu – he could have pissed in the middle of the locker room and no one would have said anything!”
Jason Cherry: “Another person who astonished me was Troy. He was a demon on the field and quiet off the field. I got to know him. he was so soft-spoken.”
Crezdon Butler: “They taught me to be available. To not be a one-trick pony – to learn everything so that I’m not expendable. And to take care of my body. That was the biggest difference between college and the NFL for me. If you’re hurt you can’t make the team.”
Josh Victorian: “. Troy and Clark were the leaders of the defense and it was crazy to see how much film study they did. Troy spent hours every day watching film and learned how to read the tendencies of the teams we played, He was gutsy to try some of those plays he made. ”
Chris Hope: “We are all so close. Troy even came out with us, and he was like a groundhog – we’d see him every sixty or seventy days!”
Shamrko Thomas: “Coach Tomlin called me when I was drafted and just said “Welcome to the team.” Then Troy Polamalu called me right afterwards and said the same thing and said it was time to get to work.
A lot has been made of Troy’s taking you under his wing when you were there, including being of the few invited to train with him. Why do you think he took that interest in you?
You’d have to ask him, but just my opinion, I think it was just because of the work I put into the game.
We really didn’t talk a lot about football. It wasn’t about that. We talked more about God and building a strong foundation. We just really talked. I listened and he helped me to learn to be focused and prepared.
What were some of the things he talked most about that helped you?
Just about remaining humble. To put God first and work hard. Everyone could see how great Troy was on the field, but I don’t think they realize how much he put into the game – how hard he worked.”
David Gilreath: “One story remember well was about Troy Polamalu in training camp. There was a big fight between the wide receivers and defensive backs. A big brawl. As everyone was fighting I heard this real quiet voice behind me saying “Scotty – nobody’s safe Scotty…” just in this real quiet voice in the middle of the brawl…I still laugh thinking about that.
And then the next play Troy flies in and hits the running back and knocks him out. That’s when I knew he was the real deal.”
Ricardo Coclough: “He was a great guy and ended up being a great mentor to me – he Deshea and Troy.”
Ross Ventrone: “I’m still close with Troy Polamalu, Jesse James, Chickillo. They are all very good friends. I’ll remember those relationships most.”
Marvin Philip: “Chris Hoke would invite me to his home and feed me. Troy Polamalu, Chris Kemoeatu, and Shaun Nua all took care of me too. Maybe because of the Polynesian connection.”
Damon Cromartie-Smith: “Troy showed me a lot. I was star-struck some as a rookie. I tried to talk with Troy about football but he didn’t like to talk about football outside of the locker room. I once asked him about Taylor Mays and he was like, “Who?” He liked to talk about California. He was a real humble guy. The humblest I’ve known in my four years there.”
Bryant McFadden: “Joey Porter, Jerome Bettis, Troy P, Hines, Chris Hope, etc. ALL of these guys had a great sense of humor”
Ty Carter: “Troy and Ryan always told me to take chances”