LLT
08-01-2012, 05:32 AM
By Mark Kaboly
Published: Wednesday, August 1, 2012
With the loss of key veterans on defense, Mike Tomlin suggested to All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu that attending offseason practices would be a good idea.
Translation: Tomlin expects the veteran safety to be more of a leader on and off the field, and that started with attending all 12 organized team activities — something he hasn’t done since early in his career.
Polamalu obliged, but he still doesn’t view himself as a leader, especially a vocal one.
He also doesn’t necessarily believe the defense needs to single out one or two players as leaders to be successful.
“We’ve always had phantom leadership in that we have tradition,” Polamalu said. “There’s a certain way that we do things around here for as far back as I can remember, to Joe Greene and those guys, the way that we prepare ourselves and the way that we play. When you have that sort of phantom leadership, you don’t need a rah-rah guy that’s the face of the franchise that’s always pushing people.”
Polamalu reiterated that he’s not going to change how he prepares and plays because the team lost veterans James Farrior and Aaron Smith.
Read More:http://triblive.com/sports/2312859-85/polamalu-leader-safety-defense-really-team-captain-despite-leadership-steelers
Published: Wednesday, August 1, 2012
With the loss of key veterans on defense, Mike Tomlin suggested to All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu that attending offseason practices would be a good idea.
Translation: Tomlin expects the veteran safety to be more of a leader on and off the field, and that started with attending all 12 organized team activities — something he hasn’t done since early in his career.
Polamalu obliged, but he still doesn’t view himself as a leader, especially a vocal one.
He also doesn’t necessarily believe the defense needs to single out one or two players as leaders to be successful.
“We’ve always had phantom leadership in that we have tradition,” Polamalu said. “There’s a certain way that we do things around here for as far back as I can remember, to Joe Greene and those guys, the way that we prepare ourselves and the way that we play. When you have that sort of phantom leadership, you don’t need a rah-rah guy that’s the face of the franchise that’s always pushing people.”
Polamalu reiterated that he’s not going to change how he prepares and plays because the team lost veterans James Farrior and Aaron Smith.
Read More:http://triblive.com/sports/2312859-85/polamalu-leader-safety-defense-really-team-captain-despite-leadership-steelers