Letting his hair grow as a tribute to his Samoan heritage, his main was famously targeted at the 2006 Super Bowl, when Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson tackled Polamalu and visibly pulled his hair during an interception, per ESPN. Despite the praise his locks have garnered, Polamalu was nervous to let his hair flow at the start of his career. [24], The Pittsburgh Steelers initially had a verbal agreement with Dexter Jackson, who was the reigning Super Bowl MVP with the 2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. RELATED: Brian Urlacher Has Hair Now, And He Looks So Different. (@yinzercrazyshow) August 3, 2021. Polamalu's locks were the highest-insured hair on Earth according to the Guinness World Records. [92][93] In Week 14, Polamalu collected two solo tackles, deflected two passes, and intercepted a pass attempt by Carson Palmer that was intended for Terrell Owens and returned it for a 45-yard touchdown. [168][169], Polamalu voiced Villager #1 in the 2016 film Moana. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. [132] He finished the season with 69 combined tackles (50 solo), 11 pass deflections, two interceptions, and a sack in 16 games and 16 starts. I actually own a piece of Polamalus hair. Polamalu has a contract with Head & Shoulders shampoo and has starred in five commercials for the product. It was never explicitly stated what needed to happen in order to anyone to collect on the policy, but throughout the Polamalu's career there were multiple incidents of opposing players grabbing his hair to bring down the Hall of Fame safety. ", Adds Polamalu: "I'm much different than any other hair model or representative or whatever you want to call it because I just let it go naturally and I did use the product. . Guitarist Glenn Shirey said that the song was inspired by Fox Sports announcer Dick Stockton's mispronunciation of Polamalu's name. He has the distinction of being one of only two safeties ever drafted by the Steelers in the first round of an NFL Draft; the other being Terrell Edmunds in 2018. [129] In Week 12, Polamalu earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Cleveland Browns. In an October 15, 2006, game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Chiefs' running back Larry Johnson pulled Polamalu down by the hair in order to tackle him. [17], In 2001, he had the best year of his college career. "I always joke around. [171], "Polamalu" redirects here. He missed Weeks 1011 after suffering a knee sprain. [148] On his personal website he explained, "I decided to finish what I started and walked that stage today not only because it was very important to me personally, but because I want to emphasize the importance of education, and that nothing should supersede it. [96][97] He earned First Team All-Pro honors for the third time. From Mahomes Magic Crunch cereal to Head & Shoulders, Chiefs fans should get used to seeing him take over the airwaves on both a local and national level. Obviously, still trying to be as safe as possible with the COVID situation, wearing a mask and doing things like that, but I've been able to clean up a little bit and do everything like that, but I usually keep it where it's at and try to stay fresh with it. [73] On December 7, 2008, Polamalu recorded a season-high nine combined tackles, deflected a pass, and had his seventh interception of the season off of a pass attempt by Dallas Cowboys' quarterback Tony Romo during a 2013 victory. "Yeah, long . He's one of. As Patrick Mahomes inspects some supermarket sushi, Troy Polamalu comes up behind him and surprises Mahomes, who wasn't aware that Polamalu worked at the store. And, he also appeared in a commercial. WATCH: Patrick Mahomes, Troy Polamalu new Head & Shoulders commercial Teams AFC East Bills Dolphins Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns Ravens Steelers AFC South Colts Jaguars Texans Titans. Troy Polamalu's NFL career Troy Polamalu of the Steelers on the bench in 2015 | Justin K. Aller/Getty Images. #HereWeGo #Steelers pic.twitter.com/p73Mh2JFWY, YinzerCrazy.com ??? [157] He seldom gives interviews, but when he does, he often speaks of the role his spirituality plays in his life. [17], The 2000 season marked the beginning of Polamalu's career. Take a look: The two argue about whether Head & Shoulders is a great offense of great defense and it spirals out of control. The possibility of anything horrible happening on the field seems remote. On 19-4-1981 Troy Polamalu (nickname: Troy ) was born in Garden Grove, California, United States. Polamalu was one of the NFL's defensive stars of the 2000s. He would routinely line up everywhere on the field, and had the ability to. Watch Patrick Mahomes' new commercial with Troy Polamalu Head and Shoulders has landed the Chiefs' MVP quarterback as one of its new brand ambassadors. "I owe a lot of credit to my uncle for that, among other things." For better or worse, the Hall of Fame is an opportunity for the game of football to honor not only the player, but also his personhood, and his legacy. They also restructured his contract so he would only account for $6.3 million against the salary cap in 2014 instead of the original $10.7 million cap number. So why did Troy Polamalu cut his hair? Polamalu remains undecided about his future . Another uncle, Aoatoa Polamalu, played nose tackle at Penn State from 1984 to 1988. He's heading into Canton next month to take his place as one of the greatest of all-time, but before being inducted, Troy Polamalu has teamed up once again with Patrick Mahomes for Head & Shoulders. The Steelers quickly made a move to bring Polamalu to their team. Mahomes is quickly becoming the most marketable player in the NFL. Ahead of him being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the next few weeks, former Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu has been busy shooting a . "I was born to come here. [60] The contract made him the highest paid safety in the league, but was surpassed by Bob Sanders on December 28, 2007, when he was signed to a five-year, $37.5 million contract with $20 million in guarantees. She's been nominated for the ASME NEXT Awards for Journalists Under 30, and previously wrote for Us Weekly while on staff at Wenner Media. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. He rushed for 1,040 yards with 22 touchdowns and had 310 receiving yards. This is a major honor for Polamalu, who played in three Super Bowls himself. Other players have experienced similar instances of being tackled by their hair. The Steelers lost on the first play of overtime after Tim Tebow threw an 80-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas. [106], On September 10, 2011, the Steelers signed Polamalu to a four-year, $36.4 million contract extension that included $10.55 million guaranteed. Ad Buy Troy Polamalu NFL Gear. Polamalu will undergo his first "haircut" in 11 years as part of the "The VFW Mane Event"at Heinz Field, an endeavor to raise money for the Veterans of Foreign Wars USA and generate awareness for. [138] In the 3017 loss, he had eight combined tackles and one quarterback hit in his final career game.[139]. Polamalu (and his hair), of course, star in those semi-entertaining television ads for Head & Shoulders shampoo, a product that Polamalu has supposedly used for most of his life. He was ranked the top strong safety prospect by BLESTO and National Scouting Combines. "[84] Polamalu finished the season with 20 combined tackles (18 solo), seven pass deflections, and three interceptions in only five games and five starts. Polamalu's hair is one of his most distinguishing characteristics, allowing him to be easily spotted on the field. I'd never get my hair cut or trimmed or anything like that. He was known for his trademark reckless on-the-field play. [117][118] On October 7, 2012, Polamalu returned and recorded two solo tackles in a 1614 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. As Polamalu says in the ad, he's "never not working" just like Head & Shoulder Scalp Shield Technology. Polamalu recorded three solo tackles, deflected a pass, and intercepted Steve McNair during the 347 victory. [32] The following week, he made his first career tackle and finished with two solo tackles during a 2041 loss at the Kansas City Chiefs. He started the game and made five solo tackles in their 31-19 loss. If Polamalu can win a few more Super Bowls, maybe Ill get in touch with historical hair broker Louis Mushro. [143], Polamalu's surname at birth was Aumua. The Steelers finished first in the AFC North with a 124 record and ascended back to first in the NFL for points allowed (232), but remained at 12th in passing yards (3,425). In the CBS Playoffs Pre-game Show, Polamalu said the last time he had gotten a haircut was in 2000 at USC[152] when a coach told him he needed one. This site uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. As Mahomes says, he'll take the crown over any of his teammates when it comes to who has the best hair. Steelers safety Troy Polamalu is known for his big hits and big hair. [21] The next week, the Trojans played their rival, UCLA. [45] The Steelers were eliminated the following week after losing 41-27 in the AFC Championship to the eventual Super Bowl XXXIX Champions, the New England Patriots. Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes has landed a new endorsement deal. He is nine years old and his number is yours turned around 34. [38] On September 26, 2004, Polamalu recorded six combined tackles, deflected a pass, and made his first career interception off a pass from A. J. Feeley during a 133 victory over the Miami Dolphins. He has a B.A. "Just to be considered one of the elected, and then semi-finals, then finalists. [13] Concerned about the negative influences in nearby Los Angeles, Polamalu's mother sent him to Oregon to live with his uncle, aunt, and cousins when he was nine years old. The injury also caused Polamalu to miss the Senior Bowl and 2003 NFL Combine. [162], Polamalu is active in the Pittsburgh community, visiting sick kids at the Pittsburgh Children's Hospital, and is the most highly requested Steeler from the Make-A-Wish foundation. He sent the game into overtime, where the Steelers won 159. Polamalu says that just like Head & Shoulders Scalp Shield Technology, he's never not working. [108] During a Week 14 matchup against the Cleveland Browns, he collected eight combined tackles, defended two passes, and made his only interception of the 2011 season in a 143 win. On defense, he made 65 tackles and had eight interceptions. "[149] Teammate Ben Roethlisberger followed in Polamalu's footsteps the following off-season and finished his degree as well. [144] Polamalu and his wife, Theodora, founded the Harry Panos Fund to honor Theodora's grandfather, who served in World War II. TroyPolamalu's hair was one of the most marketable aspects of the Pro Bowl safety's game, so it only makes sense that he would strike endorsement deals with some hair product and shampoo companies. [27] The Steelers traded away the 92nd and 200th overall picks for the rights to switch first-round picks. Check it out: Were back and were #NeverNotWorking. Former Pittsburgh SteelerssafetyTroy Polamalu was one of the most feared defenders in football throughout his career, having manned the secondary at Heinz Field for 12 years. https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/2019/08/20/watch-kansas-city-chiefs-patrick-mahomes-pittsburgh-steelers-troy-polamalu-in-new-head-shoulders-commercial/, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. His performance in the 403 blowout over Colorado won him Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Week. Polamalu scored that touchdown - his first in the National Football League - in a showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals on October 3, 2004. Polamalu continued his dominance against Stanford, making a game-high 10 stops, one tackle for a loss, and his first blocked punt of the season. [35] He was named to the 2005 Pro Bowl for the first time. Bleacher Report . "I don't grow a lot of facial hair in the first place," Mahomes says while laughing. Head & Shoulders For Men TV Spot, 'Hair Transplant' Feat.