Steelers Blog

Inside the locker room: Troy Polamalu

Where do you need to improve on defense?
We need to improve everywhere.

How did it feel being back out on the field?
It felt good. I felt good all game.

Were you on any type of snap count during the game?
I don’t know if I was on a count. I think it was a better game plan going into the last game than it was going into the Philadelphia game when I injured myself. I’m just very happy to come out with a victory.

In what way was it better?
That I was limited in a way, in terms of repetitions and the game plan, and as far as practice was concerned throughout the week.

If you were limited earlier in the season, do you feel that this re-injury may not have happened?
I don’t know. I don’t like to deal in hypotheticals.

Was it worse the second time than the first time?
No, it was just a different muscle.

Are there ways that Chargers QB Philip Rivers is still dangerous, even though he said he is having a disappointing season?
We definitely know what he’s capable of and I’m sure they’re very disappointed in their record as we are with our record. We definitely know what they’re capable of. We always play each other really well, no matter what the records are.

Since you were somewhat limited last game, were you playing more within the structure of the defense?
I just played. If [the big plays] come, they come.

How much will things change without CB Ike Taylor, and are you encouraged with what you saw from CB Cortez Allen last game?
The defensive backs and the coaches obviously know what they’re capable of, Curtis [Brown] and Cortez. It’s what we expected, the performance from them. To replace somebody like Ike, who I don’t think has ever missed a game here, is going to be tough. It’s going to be different for our defense.

Polamalu’s island fun helps others

In his soft-spoken manner, Troy Polamalu humbly tried to deflect attention away from himself and on to his teammates, on to others who do things in the community.  

“This isn’t just about what I do,” said Polamalu. “There are a lot of other players on this team proactive in helping the community. There are a lot of people doing a lot of good things. A lot of people come from a background of struggle and we appreciate things and realize how much better our lives could have been if we got a little extra bump, a little extra help and that is the opportunity a lot of us guys are trying to give.”

On this night, though, it was about Polamalu and what he is doing in the community as he hosted Polamalu’s Polynesian Luau at the Westin Convention Center. 

An unusually warm Pittsburgh evening set the stage for the island paradise inside where Steelers’ players and coaches, as well as guests in attendance, enjoyed a traditional island feast and Polynesian entertainment and dancing.

“I wanted people to be able to come in so we can be friends and form a relationship at an event like this,” said Polamalu. “I wanted to bridge the gap between fan and family. Our culture is all about that. We welcome people. We love everybody.”

While enjoying what the culture offers was the theme of the evening, giving back was the reason for the event.

The event benefited two causes that are near and dear to Polamalu’s heart, The Troy Polamalu Football Camp in his ancestral homeland of American Samoa and The Harry Panos Fund that honors family members who have valiantly served in the military.

Polamalu first hosted the football camp in American Samoa in 2011, bringing inspiration and raising the spirits of the young male population in a poverty stricken region.

“It amazes me in this day and how the world is working that a culture that has given so much to the game of football, and has received so much from the game of football, can be so affected by so very little work and money,” said Polamalu. “Our education system is really bad. The political system needs a lot of work. Football has such a tremendous impact on our culture, it’s awesome. It’s our foot in the door.”

The camp drew 660 participants from seven high schools to further advance their football knowledge and skill level, hoping to use it as a springboard for a future on the collegiate level where they can gain a valuable education and possibly turn the sport into a career one day.

For Polamalu, the camp was a start of something special. Now, he wants to do more.

“We want to help them with education, computer labs or a library and putting a football field down,” said Polamalu. “The opportunity to affect the infrastructure of a country is really amazing.

“I want to be able to have a lasting presence there and be able to continue to have an impact. That is why we are doing it every other year so it can spread over time. The message was conveyed to them that it won’t be me all of the time. It has to be the children who eventually take over, other players that step in and take over. We all support each other. I have been the driving force behind that, getting everybody on page.”

Another thing Polamalu and his wife Theodora have been a driving force behind is helping the military. The Harry Panos Fund is named after Theodora’s grandfather who fought in World War II. His stories inspired them to give back to those who have served, and those who continue to serve our country.

Polamalu has visited wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Hospital, taken part in Heroes at Heinz Field, an event that honors veterans who were injured in Iraq or Afghanistan, and has provided the opportunity for veterans and current military to attend Steelers games. Now, he wants to do more, as part of the proceeds from the event will focus on building a recreation room at the Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Hospital among other veterans needs.

“We want to be able to continue to bring them to football games, help put food on their table, a roof over their head,” said Polamalu. “We have been able to offer a lot of really cool opportunities and help people out.”

Polamalu is thrilled that he was able to bring together an event that helps the charities that mean so much to his family in a manner where everyone works together, something he stressed to those in Samoa.

“There are a lot of Samoan charities that are doing different things and are competing against each other,” said Polamalu. “Our message was let’s do something together. Let’s not compete. You don’t compete for charity. You don’t compete to help people. If you want to do something better, do it together.”

Locker room quick hits

A little bit of what players had to say in the locker room on Wednesday.

S Troy Polamalu

How do you guys turn the defense around?
We just have to execute better than their offense and their defense.

Did you hope to play this week?
I am always optimistic.

How is your injury different this time compared to a few weeks ago?
Those injury questions are for Coach Tomlin.

Do you feel injuries are an epidemic in the locker room?
I don’t know. Sometimes I wonder if it is just us here. It seems we deal with it pretty seriously every year. I was made aware of Baltimore’s situation. It seems we face those types of situations year-in and year-out.

Re: Other team’s facing similar circumstances due to injury:
It’s never good. First we are human then we are football players.

T Max Starks

Re: Geno Atkins and Michael Johnson:
A lot of people say he’s not small, he’s short. He is a big dude that has a short body. He can create pressure by pushing guys back. He is quick enough to take the edge. He can force guys into bad positions. Michael Johnson is a very long guy. They are a good duo and a great combination.

Re: Advice for Mike Adams:
We are going to talk and work this week. We had a bonus day on Monday. When we are in meetings, we point out key things for him. Him and I will do some extra work on the side to make sure we are both prepared. Helping him actually helps me at the same time. I think he is mentally there. It’s just about making sure he is mentally sharp. There are some things he might not see as a backup, compared to a starting role. I think one of the biggest things is that he is going to have a great test on Sunday night.

C/G Doug Legursky

Re: Geno Atkins:
He is just a hard worker. He works really well with his hands. He has good leverage. He gets into people. He never stops. Their defensive linemen work well together to get their sacks. It’s going to be a challenge for us but every week is.

Re: Possible starting role:
You don’t come into this league and go into games wanting to be a backup. You always want to be a starter. It’s a tough pill to swallow sometimes, knowing you are only going to get in the game if someone gets hurt or we have a huge lead. I will always aspire to be a starter. I think everybody should.

Injured players ready for Sunday

Linebacker James Harrison, running back Rashard Mendenhall and safety Troy Polamalu are all listed as probable for Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Heinz Field.

Harrison, who hasn’t played yet this season, said his knee felt good in practice this week and he is ready to go.

“Yeah, definitely I will be ready for Sunday,” said Harrison. “It felt good, especially on Monday. I was able to make it through the week without any problems. I was able to cope with what my knee was doing. I wasn’t reacting to it as much as I had before. I am just happy to be able to get back out there and contribute to help this team win.

“I will play as much as my wind will allow me to play. Obviously, I haven’t really done anything since last postseason. I am going out there and seeing what happens. It’s really just my first game back. We will see.”

Mendenhall also hasn’t played yet this season and said he won’t know how things are until the game gets rolling, a game which he isn’t sure how much playing time he will see or what the rotation at running back will be.

“I’m not sure who we’ll have playing,” said Mendenhall. “The game will tell us that and take care of itself. We’re all prepared. Come game time, it will all unfold.”

Polamalu is the only one of the three returning this week who has played this season, starting in the season opener in Denver. He deferred to Coach Mike Tomlin regarding his ability to play Sunday, but did say he is feeling better. Now the key is the kind of impact the three players will have upon their return.

“We’ll see,” said Polamalu. “We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. Just because people have played and their resumes are out there doesn’t really mean much.”

Harrison said that there is no added pressure this week with the three players returning, but instead it’s just a matter of everyone focusing on doing their job.

 “There’s no more pressure than every other week,” said Harrison. “Our guys just need to go out there and execute their jobs. We have a lot of guys going out there and trying to do more than their part. With them trying to do that, they are not taking care of their jobs.”

Right time to be at full strength

The Steelers defense should be at full strength on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, with safety Troy Polamalu and linebacker James Harrison back at practice this week and expected to play.

Their return definitely will be a boost for the defense, and something the Eagles offense will have to prepare for.

“It gives you two players you have to scheme for offensively,” said safety Ryan Clark. “They are two players Coach (Dick) LeBeau can use extensively in his package and isolate and give them opportunities to make plays. Also, they are going to produce. You know what they are capable of. They seem extremely healthy right now, which is good for us and allows us to be the defense we have been for years.”

Polamalu has missed the last two games and Harrison hasn’t played yet this season. According to Clark while it does give the defense a lift, it also puts some pressure on them.

“I told them Monday first play no more excuses,” said Clark. “We can’t run in here and say we don’t have Troy or James. We have everybody we are supposed to have so we have to go out and make plays. You get a lift when they are out there running around, running to the ball and doing what they have done for years and we are definitely excited about that.”

Having Polamalu and Harrison back on the field couldn’t come at a better time as the Steelers are trying to rebound and improve on their 1-2 record against a tough 3-1Eagles team lead by Michael Vick. Vick can do damage with his arm and his ability to run with the ball, so the defense has to be on point at all times.

“Being able to run opens up a lot of avenues for the offense as a whole,” said Clark. “You see what Ben (Roethlisberger) can do, how he can extend plays, and you are talking about a guy who is different from any quarterback who has played the game in Michael Vick.”

Vick has been sacked 11 times through four games, so applying pressure on him is going to be a key for the defense.

“You have to hit him more than once,” said Clark. “He has been taking a pounding this year. You look at the first few weeks of the season, guys are getting to him, able to make him fumble and give the ball up. That is what you look to do. In trying to get to him you have to be sound in your technique and sound in your gaps. Where you see opponents try to exploit what he does, he can also exploit you if you are trying to make plays that are out of the sense of the defense.

“With Michael Vick it’s not always about making the play, but stopping him from making the play.”

Tomlin expects injured players back

Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin expects to have all on hands on deck in practice on Wednesday, after everyone except Marcus Gilbert participated in Monday’s practice. And better yet, if all goes well in practice the rest of the week, Troy Polamalu, James Harrison and Rashard Mendenhall could all play on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles at Heinz Field.

“Based on what I am looking at on how we worked yesterday I think that is a safe assessment,” said Tomlin when asked if they will play Sunday. “We will watch these guys as we proceed throughout the week. All guys have performed well and were able to get through practice and we’re optimistic that they’re going to be full participants.”

Polamalu has missed the last two games after playing against Denver, and Harrison has not seen game action yet this season, but both practiced Monday. Rashard Mendenhall also continued to practice, even though he has yet to see game action as well.

“Coming off the bye, I think it’s been a productive bye for us,” said Tomlin. “We’ve had the opportunity to work on some elements that we feel like need to be addressed in all three phases. At the same time we were able to get some of our injured men back.”

Harrison practiced last week as well, and worked out during the team’s bye. While Tomlin had not talked to Harrison yet to see how his knee responded to practicing, as he has had setbacks previously, he does know having him back healthy is a good thing.

“If he plays well and plays like James is capable of playing, obviously he’ll be an asset to us,” said Tomlin. “But, we’re not going to make excuses and we’re not going to sit around and wait for those that are not participating to participate. Injuries and so forth are a part of the game. When we have those guys, we’ll appreciate it. When we don’t have them, we’ll remain steadfast in our goals and our objectives.”

Having a healthy team will be a key for the Steelers, who are looking to get back on the winning track this week against the Eagles.

“It’s a big week for us,” said Tomlin. “Those are exciting things for us as we push into this week. It’s a big week for us coming off our last performance, but also having an opportunity to play at home in front of our fans against a really good team in the Philadelphia Eagles.”

Getting Rashard back would be a boost

It was back to business for the Steelers on Monday, after a four-day break for the bye week, and as they prepare for the Philadelphia Eagles the hope is they will get some of their injured players back on the field Sunday.

Among those who haven’t played yet this season, but whose return would be a huge boost to the offense, is running back Rashard Mendenhall. Mendenhall has been out since suffering an ACL injury at the end of last season and his presence could help a ground game that is averaging only 65 yards per game through three games.

“Rashard is one of the best in the league,” said wide receiver Mike Wallace. “When you get a guy back like that who is very explosive, has really good feet, a lot of vision, it’s going to boost our team.”

While his teammates talk about a potential return for him, Mendenhall still isn’t sure if he will be ready to play this week.

“I can’t say that,” said Mendenhall. “I am just trying to improve and take it one day at a time. We are all gauging it, going through it. When the time is ready I think we all need to be clear on it. We’re just taking it one day at a time. We will see.”

Mendenhall said he is preparing the same this week as he did week one of the season when he wasn’t able to play, but he is definitely making progress and benefitted from the days off during the bye week.

“It felt good,” said Mendenhall. “We are back at it, still taking it one day at a time. I’ve been improving every day. I am going to continue to work and prepare for the game, like I have every week.”

Safety Troy Polamalu hasn’t played since the first week of the season in Denver, and linebacker James Harrison has been sidelined all season as well. Polamalu, like Mendenhall, took advantage of the rest during the bye week.

“The more time off, the better,” said Polamalu. “It was a pretty early bye week for us but hopefully we can get some momentum going and we will see how this week turns out for us.”

Polamalu, who also didn’t comment on his status for this Sunday, instead deferring to Coach Mike Tomlin on whether or not he will be able to play, said he doesn’t know what kind of impact having him or Harrison back on the field will have on the defense until it actually happens.  

“I don’t know,” said Polamalu. “We will see once we all get on the field together. There are some other new faces out there that have become starters. It’s about how all 11 guys are playing together.”

A time to heal for several Steelers

Steelers’ players have the next four days off for their bye week, giving several who are ailing a chance to get healthy. Among those the team hopes to get back on the field after the bye are linebacker James Harrison, safety Troy Polamalu and running back Rashard Mendenhall.

“It would help,” said linebacker LaMarr Woodley, speaking about Harrison and Polamalu. “Those are our key guys. That makes a big difference for the defense.  Having them back will be great for our defense.  The bye week is always great. Having a few injuries, Troy and James, gives guys time to heal up and rest and come back and play.”

Harrison was on the field for the first time on Tuesday, but didn’t participate on Wednesday. Polamalu worked on both days.

While both players are expected to make an impact upon their return whenever that might be, their teammates also know they can’t depend solely on them to turn things around defensively.

“We have to get them back out there,” said safety Ryan Clark. “But I don’t think it’s fair to put that much pressure on those guys to say you are why we are not playing well. You can’t say the standard is the standard and say we aren’t playing well because they aren’t there. You can’t do that. The guys who are on the field need to perform.”

Mendenhall has been practicing regularly, even getting more physical contact for the first time last week. With the running game not getting in gear yet, having him back soon would be a welcome addition.

“Rashard is one of the best in the league,” said wide receiver Mike Wallace. “When you get a guy back like that who is very explosive, has really good feet, a lot of vision, it’s going to boost our team.”

The Steelers take on the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 7 at Heinz Field and getting any or all three of the injured players back for that game is something teammates are hoping for.

“You get a player like Rashard back, James and Troy and that will provide us a spark,” said wide receiver Antonio Brown. “They are key factors on our team and provide us an opportunity to win games. It will be great to have them back and this gives them time to recover.”

Defense has to be alert for Raiders offensive weapons

Among the weapons the Steelers defense has to prepare for this week is a familiar face to the black and gold, Raiders quarterback Carson Palmer.

The Steelers faced Palmer for eight years while he was with the Cincinnati Bengals, and they know what he brings to the table.

“He stays poised in the pocket, he doesn’t let too much stuff rattle him,” said cornerback Keenan Lewis. “He has experience so he knows the throws he wants to make. He can find mismatches real quick so we have to be alert for that.

“We have been watching him a lot. We know what he likes to attack, what they don’t like. We have a feel for him.”

It’s not just Palmer the defense has to be alert for. Running back Darren McFadden brings multiple wrinkles to the Raiders offense, with the ability to hurt a team on the ground or in the air.

“He is a great running back, one of the best in the league,” said Lewis. “He is a fast guy. He can make people miss in space and in closed space as well. You have to have an alert out on that guy. He has soft hands like a wide receiver and runs good routes as well. That can be a problem if we aren’t ready for him.”

McFadden hasn’t had his normal production so far this season, with only 54 yards on 26 carries. He has caught 15 receptions for 105 yards, including 86 yards in the opener against San Diego.

“We know he is an explosive back,” said nose tackle Casey Hampton. “He can go off any time. We are very aware of that. We are not taking it for granted.”

Safety Troy Polamalu, whose status for Sunday’s game has yet to be determined after he didn’t practice for the second straight day, knows the defense has to be on point with the way the Raiders use their running backs.

“You just have to be on your keys,” said Polamalu. “As a safety as good as their play action is they set up screens nicely. We just have to be disciplined in our techniques, our gaps and ready our keys.”

Harrison, Polamalu miss practice again

Linebacker James Harrison missed practice for a third straight day on Friday and would not commit to whether he will be able to play Sunday against the New York Jets or not.

Harrison, who said the knee is “doing all right,” was evasive about his status but did say he doesn’t want to rush back on the field and do any further damage that would linger.

“What it comes down to is there is no need to try to hurry and rush yourself back and end up doing more damage and having to deal with the injury for the rest of the season, instead of saying I’ll sit out a few weeks and get it back healthy rather than go in and play in the game, reinjure it, have to sit out a whole week rehabbing until you can get to where you can play again in another week or so,” said Harrison. “There is no need to go out there, it’s too early in the season to go out there and do more damage and prevent myself from actually being out there healthy.”

Harrison said it’s up to him as to whether or not he is ready to play, rather than others making the decision for him.

“They don’t know how I feel, only I do,” said Harrison. “If I feel like I can go, I will go. If I feel like I can’t, I won’t.”

The status of safety Troy Polamalu is also a question mark this week, as he also was held out of practice again on Friday.

“I feel good,” said Polamalu. “Coach (Mike) Tomlin knows how my injuries feel better than I do.”

Both Harrison and Polamalu are listed as questionable for Sunday.

Some pictures from camp

Some of the sights from training camp.

Steelers make a wish come true

Safety Troy Polamalu made a day at training camp special for 11-year old Teddy Theys, who got to meet his favorite Steelers player and many others thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Theys attended one of the team’s morning practices, receiving a personal welcome from Coach Mike Tomlin before meeting Polamalu and hanging out with him on the practice field.

“I like the Steelers and they are my favorite team,” said a shy Theys, who learned his wish was coming true just hours before it happened. “I liked them since I was a little boy. Troy is really good and he has long hair which I like.”

Theys, who has hypoplastic left heart syndrome, isn’t allowed to play football but is still an active young boy.

“This meant the world,” said his father Robert Theys from Portage, Pa. “This is his dream and it lifts his spirits. He realizes he can do anything he wants with his heart problems. They are giving him the strength to keep on going through it and go forward. I just can’t explain how it’s going to help him and give him the strength to keep on going.”

In addition to meeting Polamalu, Theys also met Brett Keisel and Ben Roethlisberger on the field, and then the rest of the players once practice ended.

“It’s awesome. It’s so much fun,” said Roethlisberger. “When a kid’s wish is to hang out with the Steelers, it’s special. To see the smile on their face is so neat.”

Troy not picking a front-runner at CB

One of the fun battles in training camp is at cornerback, where Keenan Lewis, Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown are among those competing for the spot left by William Gay’s departure.

But don’t expect Troy Polamalu to say who has the inside track on the job.

“A lot of the guys, but I am not willing to put any names out there so you guys can run with it,” said Polamalu. “I think there are exciting battles going on in the secondary and there is some learning for them to do. It will be interesting.”

Peaking at the right time the key

The Steelers had the number one ranked passing defense during the regular season last year, but all year long players preached that it didn’t matter where they were ranked throughout the season.

What mattered to them was what happened in the post-season, how they performed then and how far the team went.

And last year, it wasn’t far enough for them, losing to the Denver Broncos in overtime in the AFC Wild Card round.

“One thing I’ve learned about this game going into my 10th year is you don’t necessarily have to be the best defense during the season or the best team during the season, you’ve just got to be good enough to get into the playoffs and then be the best team in the playoffs,” said safety Troy Polamalu. “We went 15-1 and lost in the AFC Championship game. We were the best team during that season. When the New England Patriots went 16-0 they were the best team.

“You’ve just got to peak during the playoffs and when it came down to crunch time we didn’t perform as a defense. You have to seize the opportunities that are given to you and you’ve got to be patient for them to come. We’ll see if we learn from that and how we prepared this offseason.”

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Polamalu wins appeal

Safety Troy Polamalu won his appeal of a $10,000 fine for using a cell phone on the sidelines during the Steelers-Jaguars game in October.

Polamalu used the phone to talk to his wife and assure her he was fine after he left the game with “concussion-like symptoms.” Polamalu has a history of concussions.

He was fined as cell phone usage is prohibited, but appealed and won.