The Pittsburgh Steelers are synonymous with legendary defenders. The names of these legends read like a Who's Who of incredible players - Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, Mel Blount, Rod Woodson, Jack Ham, and Greg Lloyd are just a handful. It is not uncommon to hear that these players make a significant impact on younger players who are just getting started. Every kid in the '70s who played defense mimicked Lambert's sneering face when they took the field. In the '90s, a ton of youth linebackers wanted to be just like Kevin Greene. Troy Polamalu however, definitely gets credit for jumpstarting the flowing locks of hair trend.
Sometimes, these stories make their way to the forefront and get shared with fans. That is exactly what happened with Cedric Gray, a standout linebacker from the University of North Carolina (UNC). Gray chose to honor his idol Polamalu in the most permanent way possible.
Steelers Legend Troy Polamalu Celebrated In Ink
Gray just finished his senior season at UNC and is excited to be participating in the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana. He served as the backbone of the Tarheels defense, starting all 12 games. He had 121 tackles, five sacks, 11 tackles for a loss, and seven quarterback pressures. That was to go along with two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, an interception, and four pass breakups. He was named First Team All-ACC in 2022 and 2023, and was a Butkus Award semifinalist.
While he was speaking to the media at the combine, he was asked about who he idolized as a child growing up and playing football. He said it is Polamalu, and according to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic, he even has a permanent display of his respect in the form of a tattoo of the Hall of Fame safety. He told the media the reason why he admires Polamalu so much.
"Just the effort he played with, the tenacity and the effort, I try to model that," said Gray.
Gray certainly did an outstanding job, one that would make Polamalu proud. He absolutely dominated the ACC with his gameplay. Gray was one of only two players in the ACC to have more than 120 tackles and was second in the ACC for tackles. He led UNC in tackles and fumble recoveries and had five double-digit sack games.
Polamalu played for the University of Southern California (USC) when he was in college and recorded a total of 192 tackles, six interceptions and scored three touchdowns. He just edged Polamalu out, as Grey had a total of 198 tackles, but only five interceptions.
Maybe those stats will bode well for Gray's future. Polamalu spent 12 years in the NFL, all in Pittsburgh, and played in 158 games. During those games, he racked up 783 tackles, 56 tackles for a loss, 12 quarterback hits, 14 forced fumbles, and 32 interceptions. Polamalu helped the Steelers win two Super Bowls and was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2010. He was a four-time First Team All-Pro and an eight-time Pro Bowler. He was inducted to the Steelers Hall of Honor as well as the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020, the first year he was eligible.
Gray is currently projected to go on day two of the 2024 NFL Draft. He has the kind of speed and size the Steelers like. He performs well in both man and zone coverage. He is a strong tackler who fills up stat sheets. Depending on what the Steelers see at the combine and on Pro Days (and of course, what happens on day one), he could be someone the Steelers are interested in. After all, how do you turn down a man with a tattoo of Polamalu?
More must-reads: