You might know Troy Polamalu by his big hits on the football field, or by those shampoo commercials where he removes his helmet and shakes out his cascading locks of hair (insured by Lloyd’s of London), but to the Orthodox Christian community of Pittsburgh, the Steelers safety is just another worshipper, attending services with his wife and two sons.
In today’s Pittsburgh Herald-Standard, Troy announced that after 12 gritty seasons in the NFL, a visit to his church for Holy Week convinced him it was time to leave the game.
“It’s our Holy Week this week. Our Easter is on Sunday,” he told the Herald-Standard yesterday afternoon. “I’ve been in church and had a lot of time to contemplate. It actually hit me today in church that, ‘Man, you know what? You’re done. You’re done. Your training is done. Your getting in your stance in football is done.’ It actually hit me in the middle of church. I was like, all right, man, it’s time to start living.”
Troy was struck by the meaning of two numbers–his age, 33, and his 12 years in the pro game.
“Thirty-three is obviously significant because of Christ being 33; and 12 years, 12 apostles,” he said. “I’m not superstitious by any means but I always thought that if I played 12 years and retire from football at 33 and give my life and give my body and give my blood to this game, I think that would be a pretty significant landmark in my life.”
Mysterious Ways wishes you and your family well, Troy.
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