Steelers' Troy Polamalu Was Concerned Knee Injury in 2009 Was Career-Threatening

Steelers safety Troy Polamalu said he was concerned at points last season that the knee injury that limited him to five games in 2009 was potentially career-threatening.

Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, center, suffered a knee injury in win against the Titans.

Polamalu told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that doctors warned him if he played through the pain of a torn ligament in his left knee, he was risking the end of his career.
Said Polamalu:

"Yes, it was a concern. The hardest thing was if I would have injured it again, the doctor was saying that it will be a career-ending injury, most likely. I had to face that."

Polamalu was hurt in the season opener and missed the next four games. He returned for four games, but another injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season (though he remained hopeful in December that he might play by the end of the year).

The Steelers safety began wearing a brace reluctantly because of the seriousness of the injury. After eschewing surgery in favor of rehab, he practiced with teammates at the team's minicamp last weekend.

What's his prognosis?

"Right now, I feel fine," Polamalu told the Tribune Review. "(But) I don't know what happens when we start tackling."

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