Steelers' Ryan Clark Almost Made A Bold Move By Signing With Dolphins After Big Pitch: 'You Could Be Troy Polamalu'
The Pittsburgh Steelers had some of the most dominant defenses throughout the 2000s and 2010s, and a big part of that was because of committed safeties. Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark led the Steelers' defense for eight seasons together (2006-2013) and became one of the most feared duos in all of football. The two hard-hitting defenders both helped the Steelers win their sixth Super Bowl title in 2009 in a classic matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.
Their commitment to the Steel City was displayed throughout their careers, as Polamalu spent all of his 12 seasons in the league with the Steelers. Clark on the other hand, didn't arrive in Pittsburgh until his fifth campaign. In 2006, right after Polamalu and the Steelers won Super Bowl XL, Clark joined forces with Pittsburgh. He spent his next eight seasons there, forming one of the best secondaries in the NFL with Polamalu.
Though, Clark's time with the Steelers was nearly cut short when he tested free agency and he was offered more money. During the most recent episode of The Pivot Podcast, Clark revealed the details about when he briefly considered moving on from the Steelers to go play for the Miami Dolphins in a bigger role.
"There is the thought that if I go to a different place, I get to be a man," Clark said. "Here I am, I'm in free agency, I'm talking to Jeff Ireland. He's saying, 'You could be Troy Polamalu. We'll let you do the roaming. You can control everything. You don't have to back him up. You can be the guy. And we're going to offer you more money to do it.' But it just didn't feel right to me."
This was brought up due to the special guest being Brandon Aiyuk, star wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers. Aiyuk is looking for a new contract, but that might require him to be traded. Aiyuk says in the episode that he feels frustrated and disrespected throughout his contract negotiations with the 49ers.
Instead of agreeing to go to Miami, Clark kept the Pittsburgh duo in tact by signing a four year contract. He would finish this contract by the end of 2013, where his time with the black and gold finally ran out. He'd spend one more year in the league before retiring as one of the most iconic safeties of the 2000s.
In 13 seasons, Clark collected 929 total tackles and 16 interceptions, 12 of which came with the Steelers. In 2011, Clark received his first and only Pro Bowl selection. Him and Polamalu are great examples of what Steelers football is all about, and they will go down as all-time greats.
Steelers Are Potential A Landing Spot For Brandon Aiyuk
With Aiyuk and the 49ers still continuously struggling to agree on a new contract, the hope of a trade happening still lingers in Steelers fans. Clark asked Aiyuk where he sees himself playing this season, and Aiyuk's response lit up fans. The star said if it isn't San Francisco, then it'll either be the Steelers or Washington Commanders.
Aiyuk would be a huge addition to the Steelers' offense, who currently has a weak and unproven receiving room. The Steelers are in for a huge season and would become a whole lot scarier to other teams if Aiyuk was lined up on the other side of George Pickens. The fans and the rest of the NFL will continue to wait on the status of Aiyuk as we get closer to the season.
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