So Steeler fans that proudly wear the #43 jersey on Sunday can rest easy – Troy Polamalu isn’t going anywhere. Saturday it broke that Polamalu and the Steelers agreed on a 4-year extension that will, according to sources, pay him about $9 mil a season. He was set to make $6.4 million in 2011, the final year of his deal.
Polamlau along with James Harrison are the two faces of the Steelers #1 ranked defense. Both those players are locked in long-term. On offense, Ben Roethlisberger and Hines Ward are the two names that seem to be the most widely known in Steeler Nation, and both those players are also locked up long term.
So why don’t I feel so good about this signing? Or at least as good as I did about the other three?
Well, it probably has to relate mostly to the fragile nature that has hindered Polamalu over the past two seasons. In 2009 Polamalu played in just five games as the team came off a Super Bowl season going 9-7 and missing the postseason. Last year, he played in 14 games in the regular season and the three postseason games, but clearly wasn’t the same player in the biggest games in January and in February in Dallas.
So it’s $32 mil plus I’m sure a solid signing bonus for a guy who has missed 14 of 33 possible games over the last two seasons. To me, when Polamalu is at or very near 100 percent, there’s no one on the field like him. He can change the game like no other defender, and yes, that includes Ed Reed – Ravens safety who Polamalu is most compared to.
My biggest concern is what if these injuries that have cost him the past two seasons continue to creep up? Last season he was the Defensive MVP of the league, going for seven interceptions, 64 combined tackles and a sack. I guess seeing him slowed in the postseason by the strained Achilles made me wonder long term if he’s ever going to be that good again.
The Steelers saw enough this training camp and preseason to feel that he was worth the risk. I just hope at the end of the day they are right, and he really will retire a Steeler – on his terms and not just due to injury.
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DrGeorge
September 11, 2011 at 7:34 am
Matt, I share your skepticism for the same reasons, but I doubt that Polamalu will remain healthy enough to play through 2014. The Steelers know that too and probably conditioned the bonus and the salary, at least in part, on his ability to suit up. If he breaks down badly, he will retire or fail to make the squad, in which case the contract would end.
I see this as a good faith agreement to let Troy play as long as he is able and productive, and when injuries take their inevitable toll, they will have a mutually agreement on his retirement. Because of Troy’s intelligence and integrity as a man, this is one player who will not take advantage of the club. When it’s time to go, he will know. Probably when we find someone who is capable of replacing him.
Joey Porter's Pit Bulls
September 11, 2011 at 11:00 am
I’m glad Troy signed but never doubted (too much) that he would. Now we need to sign Mike Wallace before he departs in the off-season. It would be awful to see him in a purple Balti-sore uniform.