Steelers Great Troy Polamalu Recalls Getting A Big Compliment After First Meeting With Bill Belichick

Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame safety, Troy Polamalu had his share of battles throughout his career with legendary New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick. The Steelers and Patriots during Polamalu's career both had top quarterbacks in Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger to go with tough defenses, which made them contenders for the AFC year in and year out. Polamalu faced off against the Patriots six times in the regular season, missing a matchup in 2007 due to a sprained knee, and once in the postseason. He said his best memory of their clashes came after their first meeting in 2004.

Polamalu was in his second season after the organization had picked him 16th overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. The team had finished 6-10 in his rookie season, and the rookie safety played in all 16 games, just didn't garner a start. He did have a pair of sacks and four passes defended.

The team selected Roethlisberger in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He was quickly drawn into action after starting quarterback Tommy Maddox suffered ligament damage to his right elbow on a hit in Pittsburgh's Week 2 game against the Baltimore Ravens. The rookie quarterback threw a pair of touchdowns and two interceptions as Pittsburgh tried to rally back from a 20-0 deficit in the fourth quarter, but their efforts fell short as Pittsburgh lost 30-13. 

Roethlisberger helped to guide the Steelers to a 5-1 record entering their Week 7 bye, with the 6-0 reigning Super Bowl champion Patriots waiting on the other side. Pittsburgh closed out a 34-20 win with two touchdowns by Plaxico Burress, an interception returned for a score by Bryant McFadden, and a score by Jerome Bettis. After the contest, Polamalu told Fox News in a recent interview that he shared a moment with Belichick.

"After the game, he came up to me, and he says, 'Hey, Polamalu, I like your game.' And I just looked at him, and as soon as he said, 'Polamalu,' like, it took me a while (for it) to click. I was just like, 'He knows my name. He knows my name.'" 

Polamalu said reminiscing with a laugh and a big smile on his face that all he could think about as he walked off the field after the exchange was that the legendary coach knew his name. While Belichick was still forming his legacy as one of the greatest coaches in the history of North American pro sports, he had already been in the league as a coach for 19 years and was in his third year with the Patriots having already won two championships. 

The Steelers and Patriots met again during the 2004 season in the AFC Championship. Pittsburgh lost 41-27 in a game that has been marred for many former players and coaches due to the Spygate scandal. 

Steelers' Polamalu Also Starring In New Commercial  

Even though Polamalu hasn't been on the field since he retired in the spring of 2015, he's kept himself in the public eye with his advertising duties. His signature look with a flowing head of hair has been the pride of commercials for the shampoo Head & Shoulders for years now. So much so that back in 2010, his luscious locks were insured by the company for a million dollars.

Polamalu and Patrick Mahomes have become the faces of the brand for the shampoo company, and now Polamalu is signing on for a Super Bowl commercial with a new brand. He's teamed up with Marshawn Lynch and Rob Gronkowski to appear in an ad that Polamalu says captures the emotion of winning a Super Bowl. 

The two-time Super Bowl winner bites into a Cheeto which he detailed to Fox Business is not his favorite choice. He'd much rather have been chowing down on some Cool Ranch Doritos. 

"Literally everybody that I’ve told that to says the exact same thing." The fact that we don’t have a steak sauce, seeds, made by Cool Ranch is a terrible thing. It’s an injustice."  

Whether it's hair commercials or chowing down on snacks that aren't his favorite, it's fun to see Polamalu in these ads expressing his personality. The former Steelers safety continues to entertain his fans on TV long after his playing days are over.