Troy Polamalu is one of the greatest NFL safeties of all-time and one of the most dynamic players in Pittsburgh Steelers’ history. He pushed the boundaries on what was possible for a defensive player, the ability to seemingly cover all parts of the field no matter where he lined up pre-snap. Truly a player quarterbacks had to keep an eye on the entire time. If you didn’t know where Polamalu was when you threw the ball, chances are he was picking you off on the other side.
But like all great players, they eventually hang them up. Polamalu retired after the 2014 season and in a guest appearance on the All Things Covered podcast with Bryant McFadden and Patrick Peterson, revealed he knew mid-way through the season his heart wasn’t in it anymore.