Troy Polamalu, a former American football player, is regarded as one of the best safeties in NFL history. He was a 12-year veteran of the Pittsburgh Steelers (2003 to 2015).
Troy’s business life is well-known, but he has kept his personal life private. Theodora Holmes is the NFL player’s wife, and the couple has two boys, Paisios and Ephraim Polamalu.
The Holmes and Polamalu Families
Troy hails from a family that shares his passion for the sport. Kennedy Polamalu, his uncle, was a five-year running back coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He also served as UCLA’s offensive coordinator.
Joe and Maika, his cousins, are also football players. Joe was a linebacker for Oregon State University, while Maika was a fullback for The United States Naval Academy.
His other cousins, Leie Sualua and Nicky Sualua, both played for the University of Oregon and the Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals, respectively.
Theodora, like her husband, comes from a football-playing family. Michael Holmes, her father, was a defensive end for the University of Michigan. Khaled and Alex Holmes, her brothers, are also NLF football players. Khaled has played for the Indianapolis Colts, while Alex has played for the Miami Dolphins and St. Louis Rams.
Troy Holmes and his siblings went to the University of South Carolina (USC). Because Troy and Alex used to play for USC together, Theodora met her future husband through Alex.
The Steelers’ safety asked Alex for permission before asking Theodora out, and the rest is history.
In 2005, the couple married. Paisios, their first son, was born three years into their marriage in October 2008, and Ephraim, their second son, was born in September 2010.
The couple is still happy after over 15 years of marriage and resides in a $9 million Spanish-style estate south of San Diego, California.
Troy Was Punished For Referring To His Wife As “Wife”
The NFL star was fined $10,000 in 2011 for calling Theodora from the bench. Troy was forced to leave a game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Jacksonville Jaguars after receiving a devastating hit.
He didn’t want his wife to be concerned because he’d had his fair share of concussions throughout his career. He assumed Theodora had seen the hit on TV and borrowed the team doctor’s phone to call his wife and tell her he was fine.
The NFL, on the other hand, prohibits players from using their phones in the bench area before and during games.
They penalized Troy $10,000 for breaking the rules by using it throughout the game.
Troy Retired From The NFL To Spend More Time With His Family
Troy retired in 2015 after 12 years with the Pittsburgh Steelers. His announcement was published in the Herald-Standard newspaper.
He explained that the main reason for his retirement was to spend more time with his wife and children. He got the opportunity to be with his family at the end of the 12th season, which he thoroughly appreciated, prompting him to make the decision.
He confessed that Theodora had been the one who had been most supportive of his choices. Even when he was perplexed, she would assure him that no matter what he did, she would always have his back.
Troy eventually resigned from football at the age of 33, having won various awards. During his career, he appeared in 158 regular seasons, 15 postseason games, and three Super Bowls. The Pittsburgh Steelers have won two Super Bowls with him on the team.
In 2010, he was selected NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020, beating out Indianapolis Colts receiver Reggie Wayne.
