Troy Polamalu is indisputably one of the great players in Pittsburgh Steelers history. You wouldn’t have known it watching him during his rookie season, though—and he nearly stopped playing soon after. At least that is what longtime teammate Ryan Clark said Polamalu told him he was considering.
The 16th pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, Polamalu didn’t start as a rookie, but he played a fair amount. He finished that season with 43 tackles, two sacks, and a forced fumble, but his play left much to be desired. While it’s not uncommon for rookies to struggle, it seemed to hit him hard.