Patrick Smith/Getty Images Former Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu.
On Tuesday ex-Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu took to Twitter to announce that his former defensive coordinator, Dick LeBeau, will be presenting him when he is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August.
LeBeau, 83, is already a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame himself, having been enshrined as a member of the Class of 2010. He was Pittsburgh’s defensive coordinator between 2004-14 (and also in 1995-96), encompassing almost the entirety of Polamalu’s playing days.
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Troy Polamalu’s Hall of Fame Career
Troy Polamalu, now 40, was selected by the Steelers in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft (No. 16 overall) after the team traded up from No. 27 to grab him. He went on to play in 158 games (2003-14), during which time he recorded 783 total tackles (583 solo), including 56 tackles for loss, 12 sacks and 12 quarterback hits. He also intercepted 32 passes, had 107 passes defensed and forced 14 fumbles while recovering seven others.
During his 12 years in the league, he was named to the Pro Bowl eight times, earning first-team All-Pro honors four times. He was also the 2010 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and was named to the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team. He won two Super Bowl titles with the Steelers (XL and XLIII), following the 2005 and 2008 seasons.
Polamalu will be enshrined on August 7, 2021, as part of the Class of 2020. It’s a class that also includes former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher, as well as another former Steelers safety, Donnie Shell. Earlier this year, Cowher announced that Steelers president Art Rooney II would be his presenter at the enshrinement ceremony. Shell has indicated that his daughter, April Nicole Shell, will be his presenter.
The Class of 2021, Too
Of course, Polamalu, Cowher and Shell aren’t the only Steelers who will be enshrined on Hall of Fame Weekend 2021. Former Steelers offensive guard Alan Faneca will be inducted as part of the Class of 2021 on August 8. Last month, Faneca chose former teammate Hines Ward to present him, perhaps hoping that spotlighting Ward’s career will help him earn entry into the Hall in the coming years. If nothing else, Ward’s Hall of Fame credentials have recently been viewed in a more favorable light, thanks to the retirement of New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman, which sparked a helpful comparison of the two receivers.
The late Steelers scout Bill Nunn, also part of the Class of 2021, was enshrined in a special ceremony in late April, though he will be honored again on Hall of Fame Weekend.
The 2021 Hall of Fame Game
The 2021 Hall of Fame Weekend festivities will kick off on Thursday August 5 when the Steelers take on the Dallas Cowboys in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.
The game marks the seventh appearance by each club in the annual preseason classic—tied for the most by any team. Both teams own 3-3 records in the series.
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