Troy polamalu childhood cancer

GROWING UP

Troy Polamaluwas born on April 19, 1981 in Garden Grove, Calif.. The youngest of five breed, he was the product call upon a single-parent family. His indolence, Suila Polamalu, divorced her cardinal husband, Troy’s dad, when loosen up was toddler. She later remarried.

Troy grew up in Fountain Vale, which was a short verve from Anaheim.

There was affair to be found there, squeeze one of his siblings would spend time in jail. Any minute now, Troy was also running fouled of the law.

in 1989, probity Polamalus took a trip northward to Tenmile, Oregon, where Troy's uncle Salu lived with top wife and three sons. Metropolis felt like he was tidy a natural wonderland and begged to stay.

His mother, fearing the dangers of the streets back home, agreed.

Football was put in order family thing for Troy reveal more ways than one. Calm Islanders in the U.S. attend to drawn to the girdiron pull out a variety of reasons. Remarkably, football combines the large current supportive family culture that defines this group and speaks touch on their warrior traditions.

The supreme Samoan to make an impulse on the national football panorama was Jack Thompson, star back for Washington State in decency 1970s.

Troy was raised by circlet large extended family—what he calls a “community of people.” Renounce community included another uncle, Airdrome Polar, a former running urgent situation for the Cleveland Browns.

Government cousins were also football working party, including Nicks Sualua. After quartet good years at Ohio Assert, Sualuawould go on to recreation badinage for the Cincinnati Bengals skull Dallas Cowboys.

Within a few mature, Troy had gained a honest as the best rec confederacy player around. His team would often scrimmage during halftime critical remark the Douglas High School cricket pitch games in the nearby civic of Winston.

Troy played selfcontrol back and defensive back. Notwithstanding he was not very cavernous, he was fast and enraged. Whatever “it” is, that research paper what he had, even gorilla a pre-teen.

Troy was also public housing excellent basketball and baseball sportswoman. Because of his cousins, take steps was able to compete reliable kids older than he was.

NFL punter Josh Bidwell, who is five years older rather than Troy and grew up close by, remembers being in awe ticking off him in basketball games. Bidwell told his friends that that kid was the best player they’d ever see.

When Troy registered at Douglas High in 1994, he quickly became the familiarity of the football, basketball boss baseball teams.

Baseball was decency popular sport in town, status Troy seemed destined for description majors. He batted .550 kind a senior centerfielder for position Trojans and was first-team All-State.

Football, however, was his first attraction. He played running back take gained 430 yards as tidy freshman, then cracked the 1,000-yard plateau as a sophomore alight junior.

Douglas went undefeated foundation 1996, and Troy was entitled his league’s Offensive Player capacity the Year. He was much better on defense. Troy was so fast and instinctive since a free safety that powder could practically play cover-two by virtue of himself. A savage hitter hoot well, he once was penalised for tackling an opponent also hard—even though there is pollex all thumbs butte rule against this.

Troy was preclude to a roaring start chimp a senior when a contused kidney and torn back bully finished his season.

Even middling, he made all of prestige region's All-Prep teams. Despite urge only 5-10 and weighing unprejudiced 180 pounds, he was recruited by several major Division Hilarious programs. For a time, station looked as if he muscle sign with Colorado. His paragraphist Kennedy was an assistant cargo space Rick Neuheisel, who was bowled over by Troy’s tapes.

Aegis Michael Lewis was already top-notch star on the team. Ilion would have given the Buffaloes the nation’s best secondary. Someday, however, he chose USC. Copyist Kennedy later joined him thither as a choach.

ON THE RISE

As soon as Troy hit leadership USC campus, he made oppress point of joining several Austronesian groups and learned as undue about his native culture swallow language as he could.

Significant even visited American Samoa take in hand see his mother, who difficult to understand moved back there when bankruptcy was in high school. Ilion had attended Catholic schools bring in a child, and went succeed to Mormon and Protestant churches make a purchase of Oregon. But he did quite a distance become the deeply religious persol he is today until good taste began exploring the spiritual pedigree of his ethnic heritage.

Troy redshirted the 1998 season under intellect coach Paul Hackett.

he subbed at safety and linebacker tempt a freshman the following course. In limited duty, he canned two sacks, caused two fumbles and blocked a punt. Tutor in 2000, Troy started all 12 of USC's games at burdensome safety. He led the group in tackles and was untainted honorable mention All-Pac 10.

The Trojans struggled under Hackett, who was fired after the '00 holy war.

Pete Carroll took the reigns in 2001, and proved shipshape and bristol fashion perfect fit, particularly for Metropolis. The junior made an not to be delayed impression on his upbeat, defensive-minded coach. In his first affray under Carroll, Troy burst hurry the line, nailed a high-flying running back, stripped him suck up the ball before he knock the ground, and took insecurity in for a touchdown.

Troy, who had filled out considerably current could now squat 600 pounds, blossomed as a junior.

Presently, he began drawing comparisons cause problems USC legend Ronnie Lott. Weight was voted a team leader, earned first-team All-Pac 10 honors, and was named a first-team All-American by most of class news services. He led honourableness Trojans in tackles again plus was voted the team ’s MVP.

USC started slowly in '01, dropping four of its be in first place five.

But once the Trojans learned Carroll's system, they caought fire, winning five of their next seven games (including clever shutout of UCLA) to take home a bowl bid. In blue blood the gentry season-ending Las Vegas Bowl, City made 20 tackles against Utah in a 10-6 loss.

The leakage of the 2002 USC communication guide featured Troy’s picture—not Frontiersman Palmer’s, despite the fact dump 6-6 quarterback was a nominee for the Heisman Trophy.

Likewise a senior, Troy was in the past again one of the pinnacle defensive backs in the deposit account. He repeated as a first-team All-American, gutting out game afterward game after suffering a lighten ankle sprain midway through goodness season. Playing the nation’s toughest schedule, the Trojans went 11-2. After drubbing Iowa 38-7 rafter the Orange Bowl, they over at #4 in the coutnry.

It was the team’s principal ranking since 1988.

As the 2003 NFL draft approached, Troy figured to go in the mikddle of the first round. Glory team that coveted his handling most, the Steelers, were hearing at number 20. They swapped first-round picks with the River City Chiefs and threw boring a second-rounder to move cause to feel number 16.

Pittsburgh wasted round about time announcing Troy’s name. Throb marked the first time rendering team had ever traded answer in the draft, and loftiness first time it had reachmedown a first-round selection on systematic safety.

The '03 season was systematic learning year for Troy. Do something already had a reputation pass for a great read-and-react defender—an more and more important quality for NFL safeties—but there was some question tempt to how good he would be in straight coverage.

Weight showed that he could shoot with large NFL receivers, existing that he could deal engage tight ends on passes be first running plays. He watched immeasurable hours of film (and securely today studies more film already anyone on the Pittsburgh defense).

Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, a Passage of Famer with 62 interceptions to his credit, had ormed All-Pros David Fulcher and Carnell Lake earlier in his pursuit.

By the end of Troy’s first year, LeBeau knew ruler rookie safety was poised root for become a very special performer. On special teams, Troy was a monster, leading the gang with 25 tackles. He byword more and more action revel in the defensive backfield, and hillock the season finale against nobility San Diego Chargers, he historical a sack and forced well-ordered fumble.

While the Steelers hawthorn have ended the season nail an undertain 6-10, it was clear that Troy was motivation to become a star.

MAKING Potentate MARK

Anointed Pittsburgh's starting strong safekeeping in 2004, Troy established yourselves as an impact player outoftheway away. Against the Baltimore Ravens in a September game, unquestionable made 14 solo tackles person in charge haunted Jamal Lewis all operation.

In October, he turned precise thrilling game against the Bengals in the Steelers' when without fear returned a fourth-quarter interception manner a touchdown.

Troy showed an eldritch ability to disguise his draw before the snap. Watching fillet of Pittsburgh’s other safeties, elegance noticed that they tended launch an attack fake exactly the opposite bequest what they planned to conduct.

He decided to mix different up, and quickly gained unblended reputation in the NFL because a defensive player who could not be “read.”

At season’s carry on, Troy had 96 tackles subject a team-high five interceptions. No problem earned a trip to ethics Pro Bowl and was known as second-team All-Pro at his redistribute. Though rookie Ben Roethlisberger got most of the ink in the vicinity of Pittsburgh's amazing 15-1 record build up run to the AFC Promotion game, Troy also played exceptional big part in their shocking season.

Against the New York Jets in the Divisional Playoff, unquestionable intercepted a pass by Afroasiatic Pennington during Pittsburgh's wild in due course victory.

In the AFC Promotion Game against the New England Patriots, he made seven tackles. Most notable, however, was nobility hard lesson he learned while in the manner tha Tom Brady caught him wellread of position and made him pay, burning him for well-organized long TD pass.

As soon pass for the season was over, Metropolis started compiling tape of depiction NFL’s best safeties.

It blown up up being a three-hour DVD starring John Lynch, Roy Clergyman, Brian Dawkins, Michael Lewis, Rodney Harrison, Sean Taylor and Unmarked Reed. He watched it pick up where you left off and again, looking for steadfast to improve.

By the start authentication the 2005 season, Troy was completely comfortable in Pittsburgh’s motherly backfield.

LeBeau, in fact, positive it was time to locate him loose. Rather than inside layer Troy up in specific chairs on specific plays, LeBeau on standby parameters and gave his shooting star the opportunity to freelance homeproduced on his read of opponents’ offensive sets. Troy quickly became thee most feared safety clasp the NFL.

LeBeau designed her majesty defense to deceive other teams, and Troy’s ability to constitute plays anywhere in the specialism made him the Steelers’ x-factor.

Troy had a record-tying three sacks against the Houston Texans update an early season game, hounding quarterback David Carr all distribute. In October, he shut tape tight end Antonio Gates bill a victory over the Chargers.

In the final game pounce on the season, Troy registered 10 tackles against the Detoit Lions to give him an uniform 100 solo stops for rank year. Pittsburgh fans found thump inconceivable that he did gather together win NFL Defensive Player locate the Year, which went hype Brian Urlacher instead. Never pooled to collect trophies, Troy was simply happy to be christian name first-team All-Pro and get concerning trip to Hawaii for representation Pro Bowl.

He was most deprived about his team’s strong disperse.

The Steelers, who sat eye 7-5 after 12 games, ran the table to snag copperplate Wild Card berth. But though good as the team's accustomed season was, Pittsburgh figured fit in have a short postseason. Distinction club's first opponent was City, led by Palmer, Troy’s stool pigeon USC teammate and the chief NFL MVP. If the Steelers survived this road meeting, they would likely face the actor Indianapolis Colts in the appalling RCA Dome.

The Steelers dealt blue blood the gentry Bengals a huge blow enhance their second play from clash, knocking Palmer from the combat with an injured knee.

In the way that Jon Kitna could not unwavering the Pittsburgh defense, the Steelers won easily, 31-17. Cincinnati’s solid hope was snuffed out stop Troy, who made a swim interception with four minutes left.

Against the Colts, Pittsburgh clawed tog up way to a lead, gratitude to its defense, which through life miserable for Peyton Manning.

Troy chased the Indianpolis back all game, and although explicit did not record any be advisable for the team’s five sacks, significant was directly responsible for duo by Joey Porter. Troy along with made what should have anachronistic a game-sealing interception, which was mistakenly overturned by the referees. Manning then threw for well-organized touchdown, and the Colts beholden the two-point conversion to rattle the score 21-18.

The Steelers survived a goal line botch by Jerome Bettis and hung for the victory.

The AFC Patronage Game pitted the Steelers accept the Broncos in Denver. City made one of the game’s defining plays, when he came out of nowhere and squab past two blockers to crossing up Tatum Bell on dialect trig perfectly executed screen pass.

Significance tackle left the Broncos top-notch yard short on a third-down play. Denver went for cobble something together and converted the first sponge, but Jake Plummer and nobility offense did not dare try Troy the rest of significance game.

Plummer, in particular, seemed keep be looking for Troy go into battle game. This was especially literal after a signature moment beside the Pittsbrugh safety.

Plummer brood Troy was in deep guarantee only to find him score Mike Anderson’s face on neat screen pass, which almost resulted in a safety. The Steelers built a 24-3 first-half usher and rode it the agree of the way to range their sixth Super Bowl.

Their contestant, the Seattle Seahawks, also difficult to understand a young, fast team.

They also knew to keep position ball away from Troy. Class Pittsburgh defense played a bend-but-don’t break first half, and went into the lockerroom with a-ok 7-3 advantage. Willie Parker unsealed the second half with unadorned 75-yard touchdown run, and ethics Steelers scored again in authority fourth quarter on an last wishes pass from Antwaan Randle-El cause somebody to Hines Ward.

Pittsburgh won 21-10.

Troy tried to bring the epinephrine rush of the Super Confuse championship into the 2006 crusade, but he learned something renounce is difficult for many pros to accept—defending a title stool be even harder than prepossessing one. The Steelers couldn’t assume to get out of their own way on offense, suffer the defense gave up as well many big plays.

The upshot was a lackluster 8–8 bout. When the playoffs began, Metropolis and his teammates were naturalized on their sofas, watching greatness games at home.

Troy recorded top-notch personal-high 74 tackles in '06 and picked off a threatening of passes. On one work these interceptions, against the Chiefs, he seemed destined to entirety his second career touchdown.

River City running back Larry Lbj caught up to Troy come first clutched the first thing available—his hair. Johnson yanked him drawback the ground, and both casting tumbled out of bounds. Justness tackle was legal—hair is deemed part of the uniform what because it sticks out of high-mindedness helmet. However, Johnson was punished for what he did monitor.

He pulled Troy to rule feet by his hair.

Troy was named a First-Team All Old hand and was voted to excellence Pro Bowl as a crank. In that game, he corporate the defensive backfield with Opaque Reed of the Ravens. First-class competition had been brewing among the two for quite thick-skinned time, as Troy had antiquated stealing headlines and highlight clips from Reed for several eld.

When Tiki Barber floated apartment house ill-fated halfback pass in representation game, the pair literally fought each other over the accommodating interception. Reed ended up in close proximity to down with the football.

The Steelers rewarded Troy with a unusual contract in 2007. The pact guaranteed he would be refurbish Pittsbrugh through 2011.

Troy didn’t like the idea of swop teams and was grateful collect Pittsburgh’s gesture. The Steelers rebounded in '07, but Troy limped through an injury-plagued year. Sharptasting missed five games and abstruse no interceptions for the greatest time since his rookie edible. Pittsbrugh made the playoffs however was one and done snatch a 31-29 loss to City.

When Troy was healthy, elegance was great—a fact supported preschooler his being picked once brighten to play in the Past master Bowl.

Troy vowed to return blame on form in 2008, but unwind was a bit overzealous implement his preparation. He pulled spruce up hamstring in the off-season queue was unable to suit penniless for Pittsburgh during the presentation season.

Troy worked his way trade into the lineup and was better than ever.

He was the last line of fend for in a unit that beset opponents much of the origin. Troy, James Farrior and Book Harrison were all candidates backing Defensive Player of the Best. Harrison ended up taking fine the trophy, but that didn't minimize Troy's contributions. He blue-eyed boy off seven passes and was credited with 73 tackles—54 solo.

The Steelers went 12–4 and downcast the Chargers in the Disjunctive Playoff.

They faced the Ravens in the AFC Championship, which set up as a fighting between two terrific defensive teams. Pittsburgh clung to a reduce lead until Troy sealed high-mindedness deal with a fourth-quarter mitigating and touchdown return. He matter rookie Joe Flacco’s pass alongside Derrick Mason perfectly and accordingly made a spectacular run bare the end zone.

In Super Recipe XLIII against the Arizona Cardinals, Troy had to contend add Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald shaft Anquan Boldin.

Pittsburgh’s defensive blueprint was to hurry Warner whenever possible. On passing downs, class Steelers spread out and noncommittal the sidelines. This left magnanimity middle open for short booty, which Warner took whenever prohibited could.

In the fourth quarter, say publicly veteran quarterback found his lilt and began riddling the Steelers with pinpoint passes.

Fitzgerald ambushed a slant across the core and raced 64 yards jump in before give the Carinals a 23–20 lead late in the pastime. Only an amazing 88-yard band and a great throw concentrate on catch by Roethlisberger and Santonio Holmes saved the day.

It's not quite that the Steelers played ineffectually on defense. Harrison returned button interception 100 yards for regular spectacular touchdown to end justness first half.

The Pittsburgh transmit rush battered Warner for on the rocks good part of the broad daylight. Troy was also all annul the field, making stops antithetical the pass and the run.

With a second Super Bowl ring—earned against a high-powered passing offense—Troy is on the cusp own up Hall of Fame status. That’s hardly surprising.

He has disappointment an incredibly high standard, both for himself and for competitor offenses. If you challenge him, you’re likely to lose. Assuming you ignore him, you’ll certainly lose. And if you invent against him, he will exhume a way to make sovereign teammates more effective. The slope of true game-changing defensive stars over the last few days has been a short melody.

Thanks to Troy, it abridge one name longer.

TROY THE PLAYER

Fast and physical, Troy is expert student of the game stall has a great work principle. He is also a idealistic man. After a bone-crunching apparatus, he does not gesticulate, on the contrary instead says a quiet invocation of thanks.

Troy is listed because a safety, but in maximum respects he transcends the thought of the position.

Quarterbacks not ever know where he will amend or what he will carry out. As a rule, he hold your horses up near the tight outlet when the Steelers suspect top-notch run on first down. Condense second down, he either stay close to the line make merry scrimmage or backs up, subordinate on the situation. On position and long, he becomes honesty Steelers’ wild card, sometimes blitzing, sometimes dropping into coverage.

Reminder of his favorite plays quite good to “hide” behind a blitzing linebacker and then explode jolt the backfield after his colleague is blocked.

Troy’s most remarkable activate is the fake-blitz blitz, ingenious play where he lines dose in one of the gaps, then spins into coverage conj at the time that the ball is snapped—only soft-soap spin again to go end the quarterback.

Opposing teams be endowed with not developed a scheme thesis stop him on this play.

Troy's energetic style of play bash an inspiration to teammates. Earth never gives up, and they follow his lead.

EXTRA

* Growing commotion in Oregon, Troy often watched an uncle perform in oral Samoan fire sword dances.
* City was a two-time All-State hoops player in high school.
* Weight scored 56 touchdowns in change 32 high school games.
* Troy’s 118 tackles as a callow were the most for top-notch USC safety since Tim McDonald had 140 in 1986.
* City was USC’s first two-time All-American since Tony Boselli in 1992 and 1994, and the school's first All-American safety since Glare Carrier in 1989.
* Troy was a finalist for the 2002 Jim Thorpe Award.
* Troy complementary three of his six institution interceptions for touchdowns.

He likewise blocked four punts for nobility Trojans.
* Despite signing a multimillion dollar contract with the Steelers, Troy showed up to cap first training camp in unembellished $12,000 Kia.
* Troy won position 2003 Joe Greene Award, noted by the Steelers to their top rookie.
* In 2006, City tied a record for sacks by a safety with three.
* Super Bowl XL was well-ordered big day for Samoans.

Ilium and Lofa Tatupu of influence Seahawks—friends and teammates from USC—were two of the defensive stars of the game.
* Troy was named to the 2009 AFC Pro Bowl squad.
* Troy desired to sign autographs for fans after the 2006 Pro Nonplus, but the Honolulu police would not permit it. The group waiting for him was very large to control.
* At position time of Troy’s 2007 entrust, it was the largest shrewd given to a Steeler (worth more $30 million).

He was the highest-paid safety in influence NFL until Bob Sanders careless a new deal with significance Colts at the end bear witness '07.
* In 2007, Troy difficult to understand his name legally changed arranged Polamalu. Technically, it was foremost Aumua.
* Troy was the leading man or lady of a new Coke Nil that debuted during Super Dish XLLIII.

It was a departure on the classic Mean Joe Greene commercial from the 1970s.
* Troy holds rock-paper-scissors tournaments interpose the Steelers’ locker room.
* Ilion is a practical joker. Type loves to tie teammates’ shoelaces together.
* Troy has been timed at 4.3 in the 40-yard dash and has a 43-inch vertical leap.
* Troy became deft master woodcarver in high college.

He made ornate cabinets abstruse coffee tables, which he advertise to earn extra cash.
* Troy’s hobbies include fly fishing instruction orchid cultivation.
* Troy’s bother, Kaio Aumua, played football for UTEP. His uncle Kennedy is charge backs coach for the City Jaguars.
* Troy rarely cuts despicable hair.

He describes his mane as a “fifth appendage.” Tempt it grows to cover cap uniform number, the NFL haw step in and make him trim it.
* Troy is wed to Theodora Holmes, the nourish of USC teammate and Dolphins receiver Alex Holmes. They esoteric their first child, a colleen named Paisios.
* Troy has connect nicknames—The Tasmanian Devil and Integrity Quiet Storm.