Does Polamalu Deserve To Be In the Hall of Fame?

[GBMelBlount]

The topic of Troy Polamalu‘s Hall of Fame candidacy has been coming up over the past few days. Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette gave his breakdown of the battle Polamalu will have to get into the doors at Canton. Nice Pick, Cowher’s very own Kim Myers also mentioned this same topic in todays Steelers Morning Huddle. So with not much else going on in the NFL these days, I figured I’d put in my own two cents. First off, Troy Polamalu has always been one of my favorite Steelers player to watch over the past decade. So clearly I’m a little bit biased and think he’s a Hall of Fame player but I’ll try to reasonably explain why he is actually an HOF’er.

http://www.chatsports.com/pittsburgh-steelers/a/Does-Pittsburgh-Steelers-Troy-Polamalu-Deserve-To-Be-In-the-Hall-of-Fame-2-10058874

[st33lersguy]

Troy should definitely get in the Hall

[polamalubeast]

If Polamalu is not the HOF, This is a travesty


Polamalu was the best player in defense(maybe the entire team)of the 3 super bowl than the steelers have participate and in its prime, the steelers were not the same team when he was not in the lineup....In 2009, the Steelers missed the playoffs only because of the injury to Polamalu...The year before and after the steelers have been to the super bowl...Polamalu had a huge impact on this team

I still can not believe that Jerome Bettis is not to the HOF right now, but that's another story

[ALLD]

First ballot. Definitely more deserving than the horse face non-blocking TE from the Rats who only got in because he is on tv as Mr. Mushmouth.

[GBMelBlount]

First ballot. Definitely more deserving than the horse face non-blocking TE from the Rats who only got in because he is on tv as Mr. Mushmouth.

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n82/ale_red/MrHorse1.jpg

[86WARD]

Ben and Troy are two locks for the HOF from the modern day Steelers. After that, Bettis and Ward should also get in...but it may take time for both of them...especially Bettis. If he doesn't make it in the next couple seasons, he may have a very, very long wait...

[zulater]

Hell yeah! First ballot if the voters have any sense. Forget what the stats say as compared to other safeties. Polamalu's impact on the game can't be defined by stats. Hehad more impact on the game than any safety in NFL history. Period end of debate. Unless you're an idiot. :duh: .

[GBMelBlount]

Hell yeah! First ballot if the voters have any sense. Forget what the stats say as compared to other safeties.

Polamalu's impact on the game can't be defined by stats.

He had more impact on the game than any safety in NFL history.

Period end of debate. Unless you're an idiot. :duh: .

Agreed.

Same could be said for Blount at cornerback.

Stats don't tell it all.

[fansince'76]

Yes.

[Craic]

Yes.

First Ballot? no.

Why? Modern NFL is about numbers around the football. Not about what is done to affect the field of play. Like it or not, that is the reality. He'll get in, but it'll be a couple years after eligibility.

[Jaucer]

Yes.

First Ballot? no.

Why? Modern NFL is about numbers around the football. Not about what is done to affect the field of play. Like it or not, that is the reality. He'll get in, but it'll be a couple years after eligibility.

This unfortunately. Fantasy football rules for the uneducated football fans that prosper these days.

[86WARD]

Yes.

First Ballot? no.

Why? Modern NFL is about numbers around the football. Not about what is done to affect the field of play. Like it or not, that is the reality. He'll get in, but it'll be a couple years after eligibility.

Normally I might agree with this, but the media has a hard on for Troy...they love him and the educated ones know what kind of impact he has on the game. He's changed many more than one game on his individual play alone and the media will recognize that on a regular basis...even when he plays poorly.m so I don't think it's out of the question that he could get in on first ballot...

[Steelerette]

He'll get in. I hope he has one or two more great seasons to cement it though. The Hall of Fame has turned into the Hall of Pretty Good. I want him to stand above the crowd in there.

[steelreserve]

What kind of idiot would argue he's not a slam-dunk, first-ballot unanimous lock? Besides being one of the best to play the position, he had that special something you see once in a generation. As far as safeties go, Troy and Ronnie Lott are the only ones I've ever seen who had it.

A guy like Ed Reed - great player, great numbers, will probably be in the HOF in his own right, but at the end of the day, a really good player was all he was. There are a handful of those at any given time.

A guy like Troy? Let me put it this way - he was so good that he DIDN'T even change the way the position is played, because nobody else can even come close to doing half the shit he did. You're not him, you just can't do it, like Barry Sanders if he was a defensive back. I've said before that I think Troy at his best has the ability to slow down time, and I'm not even joking. What would be an amazing freak play for most people, he would make ALL THE TIME. You never see a player with the ability to change the game like that. If anyone even has a question about whether he belongs, that person has to be one of the biggest morons ever to watch the game.

[tube517]

Yes.

My favorite play of Troy is not the all-world INT vs SD or the tazmanian devil jumps over the DL to sack Flaccid or Kerry collins (Titans).

It's that semi stumble/catching himself off balance/sideways running tackle vs the Broncos in the 05 AFCC game. That play shows his athleticism, his never giving up on a play, determination and his great field vision because even though he was off balance, he was still watching the play.

[Chidi29]

Troy, yes. Ben, no.

[ALLD]

What kind of idiot would argue he's not a slam-dunk, first-ballot unanimous lock? Besides being one of the best to play the position, he had that special something you see once in a generation. As far as safeties go, Troy and Ronnie Lott are the only ones I've ever seen who had it.

A guy like Ed Reed - great player, great numbers, will probably be in the HOF in his own right, but at the end of the day, a really good player was all he was. There are a handful of those at any given time.

A guy like Troy? Let me put it this way - he was so good that he DIDN'T even change the way the position is played, because nobody else can even come close to doing half the shit he did. You're not him, you just can't do it, like Barry Sanders if he was a defensive back. I've said before that I think Troy at his best has the ability to slow down time, and I'm not even joking. What would be an amazing freak play for most people, he would make ALL THE TIME. You never see a player with the ability to change the game like that. If anyone even has a question about whether he belongs, that person has to be one of the biggest morons ever to watch the game.


Reed's play was more workman-like who benefitted from a system while Polamalu's was the system and was sublime.

[Mojouw]

To be fair, and it pains me to say this, Ed Reed is also a lock for the hall. Reed is 6th all time in interceptions with 64. In contrast Polamalu is around 177 or so with 32 - one more than Ray Lewis. This is to take nothing away from Polamalu. He played a totally different type of safety than Reed. Lebeau basically broke his system for Polamalu. He was given the freedom to basically do whatever he wanted most of the time. That alone means he is a HOF player.

But to dismiss Reed as a product of the system he played in is to diminish a great player and also sure-fire member of the HOF.

[slippy]

i agree that ed reed was a great player but i cant remember one of his game changing, signature plays. seems like most of those picks came when the purple-browns were already up 13 against the bills/jags/raiders.

troy first ballot, hell yes.

[steel striker]

Yes first ballot.

[st33lersguy]

i agree that ed reed was a great player but i cant remember one of his game changing, signature plays. seems like most of those picks came when the purple-browns were already up 13 against the bills/jags/raiders.

I will never forget thinking where was Ed Reed when Ben was marching 92 yards for the game winning drive in the 2nd 2008 meeting or thinking where was he when the Steelers converted on 3rd and 19 in the 2010 afc divisional playoff game. Then in the 2008 AFC championship game while Polamalu was making the game's biggest plays I only remember seeing Ed allow himself to get blocked by Nate fricking Washington along the sideline which allowed Santonio to score the long touchdown

[Mojouw]

Ed Reed play-off changing plays:

2008 Wild Card Game takes a ridiculous interception to the house

2009 Picks Peyton 3 times in a divisional game

9 picks in 15 playoff games and a TD (http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/ReedEd00/gamelog/post/).

Just because the Steelers found a way to minimize Reed's impact on a game, does not mean that he never played well in big games.

Polamalu and Reed are totally different types of Safeties and both found a way to impact the game. Basically Reed has reset the standard for ball-hawking centerfielder types and Polamalu has reset the standard for safeties who like to nose around the line of scrimmage. Takes nothing away from either player.

I know it is unpopular here to give Ravens players any credit, but doing so makes Steelers' victories all that more impressive.

[Count Steeler]

Troy should go in first ballot.

[st33lersguy]

Ed Reed play-off changing plays:

2008 Wild Card Game takes a ridiculous interception to the house

2009 Picks Peyton 3 times in a divisional game

9 picks in 15 playoff games and a TD (http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/ReedEd00/gamelog/post/).

Just because the Steelers found a way to minimize Reed's impact on a game, does not mean that he never played well in big games.

Polamalu and Reed are totally different types of Safeties and both found a way to impact the game. Basically Reed has reset the standard for ball-hawking centerfielder types and Polamalu has reset the standard for safeties who like to nose around the line of scrimmage. Takes nothing away from either player.

I know it is unpopular here to give Ravens players any credit, but doing so makes Steelers' victories all that more impressive.

Thanks for the stats. Not denying that Reed isn't a great player, it would be foolish to do such a thing, just didn't remember him coming up big in the playoffs.

[86WARD]

He actually came up big many times in the playoffs and his 9 INTs ties an NFL record.

Reed also almost doubles Polamalu in INTs, has more defensive TDs than Polamalu...granted he's playing a totally different position than Troy...but those are two things you can't discount.

Both guys are Hall of Fame guys...just different style HOFers. It's really not a fair comparison...it's practically like comparing a QB and RB...

[Craic]

Thanks for the stats. Not denying that Reed isn't a great player, it would be foolish to do such a thing, just didn't remember him coming up big in the playoffs.

I think that's because we're not Raven's fans. By that I mean, though we may have watched every game, things like that just don't stand out in our mind like they would if Reed was wearing the Black and Gold. In the same way, everyone probably knows Troy's leaped over a lineman or two. But how many non-Steelers fans remember Troy anticipating the snap count and stopping touchdowns with those leaps? Or remember Troy's strip that led to the TD against the Ravens that put us in the playoffs a few years ago?

For me, however, I remember, it seems, every single one. I bet a Raven's fan would say the same about many of Reed's exploits.

[zulater]

You don't need to disparage Reed to prop up Polamalu or vice versa. I have little doubt that they'll both be first ballot Hall of Famers.

[Count Steeler]

Then again, Donnie Shell is not in the Hall. Maybe because there are already too many Steelers from that era, but that shouldn't matter. Greenwood and Shell should be in the Hall.

[86WARD]

You don't need to disparage Reed to prop up Polamalu or vice versa. I have little doubt that they'll both be first ballot Hall of Famers.

This.

[steelreserve]

My intention wasn't to put Reed down; he's just a good example of someone who's an excellent player in a "regular" mold. Polamalu took all the conventions and turned them sideways and threw them out the window because he was just THAT good. No one like him before, or probably for a long time after. It's like, forget being in a different league, he's hardly even in the same sport. That's the kind of thing that should leave NO doubt about the Hall of Fame.

[polamalubeast]

I think Reed was a better safety,but Polamalu had a bigger impact in his team,but of course the impact of Reed in Baltimore was big too

[Dwinsgames]

Then again, Donnie Shell is not in the Hall. Maybe because there are already too many Steelers from that era, but that shouldn't matter. Greenwood and Shell should be in the Hall.

Shell is more deserving IMO the numbers do not lie and he put up better numbers as an UDFA , that being said Troy is the marketable player the flowing locks and notoriety get him in as a first ballot guy IMO ...

it is not right but thats just how it goes sometimes

[TMC]

I would put Troy Polamalu in the HOF ahead of Donnie Shell. Outside of INTs, Troy's stats are as strong as any. Shell played 13 seasons, had 51 INTs, 5X Pro Bowler, 3X All-Pro, and I cannot comment on his tackles because that stat was not kept while he played. Troy, who played 11 seasons, has 32 INTs, 8X Pro Bowls, 4X All-Pro, and 709 total tackles. Troy also has 5 defensive TDs to Shell's 4. A couple of those were game sealing TDs in big moments. Shell recovered 19 fumbles but was never credited with forcing one. Polamalu forced 13 and recovered 5. Shell was credited with one sack, Troy has a dozen.

I also think that Troy was the catalyst for the Steelers defenses during his era. I do not know that you can make that claim for Shell.

[tube517]

Troy, Donnie and yes, Ed Reed deserve to be in the HoF.