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Troy Polamalu chooses former Steelers coordinator Dick LeBeau to present him at Hall of Fame | TribLIVE.com
Steelers/NFL

Troy Polamalu chooses former Steelers coordinator Dick LeBeau to present him at Hall of Fame

Joe Rutter
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Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
The Steelers’ Troy Polamalu talks with Dick LeBeau during the Browns game at Heinz Field Dec. 2012.

Troy Polamalu will be presented to the Pro Football Hall of Fame by the man who coached him for virtually his entire Pittsburgh Steelers career.

Dick LeBeau, the long-time Steelers defensive coordinator, will present Polamalu when he is inducted into the Hall of Fame on Aug. 7 at Tom Benson Stadium in Canton, Ohio.

Polamalu hinted at his choice of LeBeau in a social media post Tuesday, and the Hall of Fame confirmed the announcement Wednesday on Twitter.

“Can you please tell them that all I did was follow you,” Polamalu wrote in a Twitter post that included a picture of him and LeBeau.

With the exception of his rookie season in 2003, Polamalu spent the final 11 years of his career with LeBeau serving as his defensive coordinator. Polamalu retired after the 2014 season, and LeBeau resigned his position following that season.

LeBeau, 83, earned his gold jacket as a Pro Football Hall of Fame member in 2010. He last coached in 2017 with the Tennessee Titans.

Polamalu was elected on his first ballot as a member of the 2020 class, which had its induction ceremony delayed until this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Polamalu is part of a class that also includes former coach Bill Cowher and fellow former safety Donnie Shell.

Alan Faneca and Bill Nunn will represent the Steelers in the Class of 2021, which will be inducted Aug. 8.

Polamalu was a member of two Super Bowl championship teams. He was a four-time first-team All-Pro selection, and he was named the NFL defensive player of the year in 2010.

“He could go from point A to point B like no one I’ve seen,” LeBeau said in 2014 shortly after Polamalu’s retirement. “The best safety I’ve ever seen.”

Joe Rutter is a TribLive reporter who has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since the 2016 season. A graduate of Greensburg Salem High School and Point Park, he is in his fifth decade covering sports for the Trib. He can be reached at jrutter@triblive.com.

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Categories: Sports | Steelers/NFL
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