APRIL 19, 1981

AMERICAN SAMOAN TROY POLAMALU BORN—PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAMER

Born in Garden Grove, California (CA), Polamalu grew up in Tenmile, Oregon, with his aunt & uncle. In his 4 varsity football years at Douglas High, he gained almost 3500 total yards, scored 56 touchdowns & intercepted 16 passes. He earned 1995 All-Far West League (AFWL) 2^nd team; 1996 AFWL 1^st team (running back) & 2^nd team (defensive back); 1997 All-State & AFWL Offensive Most Valuable Player; and 1998 AFWL 2^nd team. At USC, he was a 2000 All-Pac-10 honorable mention. In 2001 & 2002, he made Football Writers All-American 1^st team, as well as AP’s 1^st team. Picked 16^th by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2003 NFL draft (1^st safety picked), he won 2 Super Bowl rings and earned 5 NFL Pro Bowl game trips (2005-09), 4 All-Pro 4 selections (2005, 2008, 2010 & 2011), 2010 AP Defensive Player of the Year, and 2^nd Team Pro Football Hall of Fame All-Decade Team for the 2000s. Retiring from the Steelers on April 15, 2015, Troy was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on February 1, 2020. 

Sources:
  “DC Greats: Troy Polamalu,” DouglasCountySportsonline.  Retrieved 9/8/2021, Troy Polamalu (douglascountysportsonline.com)
Wikipedia
Photo: Paula Lively, 9/8/2013. Permissive Use.