Hall of Fame
Position: Defensive Back
Years: 1999-2002
Place of Birth: Garden Grove, California
Date of Birth: April 19, 1981
Jersey Number: 43
Height: 5-10
Weight: 215
High School: Douglas HS (Winston, OR)
Known for his fearless hitting and flying tackles, Troy Polamalu ranks among the greatest defensive backs in USC history. He becomes the 32nd Trojan player to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
A two-time First Team All-American, Polamalu earned consensus honors in 2002 and was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award as the best defensive back in the nation. He led the Trojans to consecutive bowl games, including a victory in the 2003 Orange Bowl (he missed the game with an injury) and an appearance in the 2001 Las Vegas Bowl, where he set a Las Vegas Bowl record with 20 tackles. A two-time First Team All-Pac-10 selection, Polamalu guided the 2002 USC squad to its first 11-win season since 1979, a share of the conference title and a No. 4 national ranking.
A two-year team captain, Polamalu was USC’s MVP in 2001 and Most Inspirational Player in 2002. The Tenmile, Oregon, native recorded 281 tackles and six interceptions in his four-year career in Los Angeles. Polamalu led USC in tackles (118) and interceptions (three) in 2001 after topping the team in interceptions (two) and deflections (seven) in 2000. A member of the Pac-12 All-Century Team, he was inducted into the USC Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.
Polamalu was selected in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he spent his entire 12-year career with the franchise. The 2010 NFL Defensive Player of the Year went to eight Pro Bowls and led the Steelers to three Super Bowl appearances, including wins in Super Bowls XL and XLIII. Polamalu is a member of the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team and the Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Team. During his NFL career, he earned his degree from USC in 2011.
Polamalu and his wife established the Troy & Theodora Polamalu Foundation, which has raised millions for charity. Paying tribute to his American Samoan heritage, he supports the Fa’a Samoa Initiative, set up a medical clinic in Samoa, and serves on the board of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame, of which he is an inductee. He currently serves as the Head of Player Relations for the Alliance of American Football, a new professional league that will kick off in February 2019.
