This past weekend, five members of the Steelers organization were enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH.
Listening to the speeches of Shell, Faneca, Cowher and Polamalu were inspiring and made you proud to be a member of Steeler Nation.
But there were words uttered by Polamalu that should be emblazoned somewhere in the Steelers training facility for players, coaches and personnel to see every day.
“To be a Steelers is to consider others before you consider yourself, to protect your brother even from himself, to give support at your own expense, and when wearing the black and gold suit of armor, make sure nobody desecrates it, disrespects it. Most importantly, we ourselves don’t dishonor it.
“The only approval any Steeler should seek is to earn the approval from previous legends who have dawned the black and gold. And if you’ve really earned their respect, they’ll say, ‘You could’ve played with us.’ What I truly appreciate about the Steeler way is that at its core, it’s the success of a family, a culture based on the essential virtues any person respects and honors, humility, passion, resilience, service and legacy.”
“What Troy Polamalu just said right there has to now be now branded whether the Steelers want to paint it in their locker room, whether they want to make up shirts and sell them,” said Morning Show co-host Colin Dunlap.
The Steelers have a “The Standard is the Standard” sign at Heinz Field, it’s time for Polamalu’s words to be immortalized, used to inspire the Steelers of today and of the future, so those that don’t know, have a good understanding of what it means to be a Steeler.