O.T. Highest Paid Safety In The NFL.....Troy Polamalu
Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 2:10 amLATROBE, Pa. – The way Troy Polamalu sees it, he got everything he wanted.
When it came to the negotiations that resulted in the contract extension that now binds him to the Steelers through the 2011 season, Polamalu had some specific objectives. Since all of those were met in his mind, he signed the deal that reportedly will pay him $33 million over the next five years, with $15 million of that coming in signing and roster bonuses.
"First and foremost, what mattered to me was that it was a fair contract," said Polamalu. "A lot of people are making a lot of money out there, so I wanted it to be very fair, and I wanted it to be here. Those were the most important things. I have no control over what other people make."
Control or not, this contract makes Polamalu the highest-paid safety in the NFL; what Polamalu said he can control is how he reacts to it as a player.
"(This new contract) means I have to work harder to go out and earn it," said Polamalu. "You have to earn the money. It's not for what I did in the past, but it's for what I have to go out and earn now. Go out and play hard, that's all I can do as an individual."
About a year or so after the Steelers traded up in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft to select Polamalu, there were some whispers that he desperately wanted to return to the West Coast, where he was raised and where he attended college at USC.
"Oh, no. Never," said Polamalu when asked if that was true. "What I really wanted was the West Coast weather to come here. That was all I wanted.
"It's very exciting for my wife and I. We feel very welcome in this city, and I think this contract really puts our roots down here.
This is home. I didn't want to be a player who was jumping from team to team. I've always felt comfortable here. This organization and the tradition it has is legendary and I always wanted to be a part of it."
Polamalu has been an All-Pro in each of the last two seasons, which means he's been voted one of the two best safeties in the NFL. He has played in three Pro Bowls over four seasons, including two straight starts.
"I was very happy to get this done," said Polamalu. "The Rooneys were very fair, and I think both sides were very happy to get it done peacefully, without any uncertainty."
Despite battling shoulder and knee injuries for much of 2006, Polamalu finished third on the team last season with 82 tackles after posting a career-best 100 tackles during 2005. The Steelers first-round draft pick (16th overall) in the 2003 NFL Draft, Polamalu received the Joe Greene Award following his rookie season for being the team's top rookie.
"Troy Polamalu is a very special football player who has been a key ingredient to our success over the past few seasons," said Steelers President Art Rooney II. "We are excited to know he will be with the Steelers for many seasons to come."
When it came to the negotiations that resulted in the contract extension that now binds him to the Steelers through the 2011 season, Polamalu had some specific objectives. Since all of those were met in his mind, he signed the deal that reportedly will pay him $33 million over the next five years, with $15 million of that coming in signing and roster bonuses.
"First and foremost, what mattered to me was that it was a fair contract," said Polamalu. "A lot of people are making a lot of money out there, so I wanted it to be very fair, and I wanted it to be here. Those were the most important things. I have no control over what other people make."
Control or not, this contract makes Polamalu the highest-paid safety in the NFL; what Polamalu said he can control is how he reacts to it as a player.
"(This new contract) means I have to work harder to go out and earn it," said Polamalu. "You have to earn the money. It's not for what I did in the past, but it's for what I have to go out and earn now. Go out and play hard, that's all I can do as an individual."
About a year or so after the Steelers traded up in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft to select Polamalu, there were some whispers that he desperately wanted to return to the West Coast, where he was raised and where he attended college at USC.
"Oh, no. Never," said Polamalu when asked if that was true. "What I really wanted was the West Coast weather to come here. That was all I wanted.
"It's very exciting for my wife and I. We feel very welcome in this city, and I think this contract really puts our roots down here.
This is home. I didn't want to be a player who was jumping from team to team. I've always felt comfortable here. This organization and the tradition it has is legendary and I always wanted to be a part of it."
Polamalu has been an All-Pro in each of the last two seasons, which means he's been voted one of the two best safeties in the NFL. He has played in three Pro Bowls over four seasons, including two straight starts.
"I was very happy to get this done," said Polamalu. "The Rooneys were very fair, and I think both sides were very happy to get it done peacefully, without any uncertainty."
Despite battling shoulder and knee injuries for much of 2006, Polamalu finished third on the team last season with 82 tackles after posting a career-best 100 tackles during 2005. The Steelers first-round draft pick (16th overall) in the 2003 NFL Draft, Polamalu received the Joe Greene Award following his rookie season for being the team's top rookie.
"Troy Polamalu is a very special football player who has been a key ingredient to our success over the past few seasons," said Steelers President Art Rooney II. "We are excited to know he will be with the Steelers for many seasons to come."
