Heavy Speculation Troy Polamalu Is Out In Pittsburgh

Steeler Nation and, in fact, NFL fans at large could be witnessing the end of an era before their very eyes today, with big news out coming out of Pittsburgh reporting that legendary safety Troy Polamalu has played his last snap in the black and gold.

The announcement has felt like a long time coming for many fans who have watched Polamalu’s play deteriorate over the last couple of seasons, but that doesn’t make the outcome any easier to swallow.

For over a decade, Polamalu was the face of fear in an elite unit brimming with star power. His reckless and eternally disruptive playing style made him the greatest force of Pittsburgh’s LeBeau defenses of the 2000s, which was no mean feat.

Unfortunately for Troy, his kamikaze tendencies have caught up with him far sooner than the typical wear-and-tear suffered by most veterans, and his past few seasons have been characterised by missed tackles, poor coverage and a severe lack of that x-factor explosiveness that made him a future Hall of Famer.

Now the Steelers are reportedly hoping Polamalu, 34, retires, so as to not worry about releasing him themselves. Frankly, the two years remaining on Troy’s contract are far outweighed by his $8.25 million cap hit, particularly since the team has sufficiently groomed 2013 draft pick Shamarko Thomas to take his place alongside Mike Mitchell.

The speculation was further fuelled by reports that the franchise does not have Polamalu in “its 2015 plans.” The claim was made far more bluntly sometime later by NFL Network reporter Ian Rapaport on Twitter, who proclaimed, “Troy Polamalu’s career in Pittsburgh is over.”

Whether or not the veteran defender will opt to retire on his own terms or seek his fortunes in another city remains to be seen.

It should be noted that the Steelers have a long and rich history of players who have called Pittsburgh “home”, to the extent that they will refuse to wear the colors of another franchise.

And even if Polamalu chooses not to add himself to that list, he deserves a long and heartfelt standing ovation from Steeler fans the world over for his decade of service, having played a position in a way that never has been, nor ever will be, replicated.