Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu has decided to call it a career after 12 seasons.

Scout in a phone interview. The Steelers were planning to release the safety if he chose not to retire but Polamalu, who lives in Pittsubrgh, said he never gave thought to playing anywhere else.

“I did not consider playing elsewhere,” Polamalu said. “It was just whether or not I wanted to play. I had talked to a lot of people about what I should do with my situation.”

Polamalu spent his entire career in Pittsuburgh after being drafted from the University of Southern California in 2003. Polamalu became one of the most popular players on the team for his production on the field and his proffesionalism off of it. He became one of the most recognizeable players in the NFL for his long, curly hair.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Polamalu said that his family played a large role in his decision to step away from football. He added that he knew it was time to retire once doubt crept into his mind.

"When I started this process and started to debate whether I should come back or should I play, that was kind of the sign for me to say 'Whoa, if you're just even debating it maybe you shouldn't play anymore."

Polamalu leaves the game with 32 interceptions, 12 sacks, nearly 800 tackles, eight Pro Bowl selections, and two Super Bowl victories.