“Football challenged me mentally, physically and spiritually, in a way that no other feature of life could.” And when Troy Polamalu said that, it wasn’t just some Hall of Fame fluff. That man was out there reading plays like spoilers—three episodes ahead. Hair flying, instincts dialed in like Spider-Man’s spidey sense, and somehow still quieter than a Chick-fil-A on a Sunday. Yet for some reason, No. 43 still hangs in rotation…

The historic No. 43 jersey is currently rocked by the Broncos‘ Keidron Smith and, until recently, Buffalo’s Terrel Bernard. The kicker? Well, that’s not sitting right with at least one Steelers legend. Let’s cut to the chase. On Friday, the Steelers posted Polamalu’s picture on ‘X’ as the Steelers legend donned his black and gold jersey with “43” on his back.

Right after all that went down, the former wide receiver, Antonio Brown, took to his official ‘X’ handle and re-shared the post—with just one demand from the Pittsburgh team. “Retire the # (43).” Well, Brown’s simple demand to retire Troy’s jersey isn’t just nostalgia. Nope. The Steelers legend wants to honor a guy who redefined the safety position.

In a career spanning over a decade with the Steelers, Polamalu racked up 770 tackles, 32 interceptions, and 12 sacks. To make it more legendary, the ex-Steelers safety was an eight-time Pro Bowler, a four-time first-team All-Pro, and snagged the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in 2010. Oh, and let’s not forget those two Super Bowl rings. But let’s be real—Troy’s career in Pittsburgh was beyond stats.

The man was heart and soul of the Steelers D-line. Or let’s just say his ability to anticipate plays made him a total nightmare for the opposition’s QBs. Remember the 2008 AFC Championship round? Oh yeah, we’re talking about the historic pick-six that not even won the Steelers the game, but also secured them a Super Bowl spot.

It was late in the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers? Clinging to a lead of 16-14. But on the other side, the Ravens, under the helm of rookie Joe Flacco, were threatening to make a comeback. And then, Troy straight-up jumped the route on a pass from Flacco, picked it off, and took it to 40 yards to the end zone. The result? Final score: 23-14. Pittsburgh won. The kicker? The Steelers eventually won Super Bowl XLIII.

No wonder when Dick LeBeau remarked that, “He (Troy) had great acceleration, he could go from point A to point B like no one I’ve ever seen… The best safety I’ve ever seen,” he wasn’t just talking the talk. Now, it’s too early to say whether the Steelers would fulfill Antonio Brown’s demand or not, but one thing’s for sure: No. 43 will always remain legendary just like Troy Polamalu’s NFL career.

Speaking of a legendary career, how can one forget another Steelers legend—Big Ben, who just cleared air on his un-retirement?

Ben Roethlisberger’s not coming back to the gridiron

Ben Roethlisberger’s living the best retirement life—think golf swings, podcasting, and quality family time. But if you’re thinking that would stop the NFL teams from sliding into his DMs—think again. Even after hanging up his cleats back in 2022, after 18 seasons in the NFL, the teams are reaching out to him for a possible return.

Remember when Aaron Rodgers got hurt in New York back in 2023? Yeah, Big Ben recently recalled a familiar anecdote with that injury. “When Aaron got hurt right in New York [in 2023] with his Achilles, my agent would be like hey, any interest? I’m like zero,” he said. And that’s not all. The 49ers tried their luck too when Jimmy Garoppolo went down. Again, Roethlisberger wasn’t biting.

Now, amidst these speculations, QB needy teams’ desire to bring him back. But the Steelers legend finally put an end to all those rumors. On an episode of The Pat McAfee Show, McAfee asked if he could still sling it at the NFL level; the 43-year-old didn’t hesitate. “I don’t think I got it anymore,” he said. Yeah, just like that.

And to make it 100% real with Pat, he even gave a reality check with a backyard anecdote—starring Big Ben himself along with his sons. “I put both my sons in the backyard and couldn’t even overthrow one of them. So, I think I’m out,” he declared. At the end of the day, for a man who’d been calling plays for 18 seasons, it’s now safe to say that Ben Roethlisberger is at peace with his retirement.