Troy Polamalu ranked 61st on NFL 'Top 100' List

Troy Polamalu has quite the resume.

Two Super Bowl rings, a defensive player of the year award and eight Pro Bowl selections, just to name a few. Polamalu has been the most recognizable and arguably the greatest defender the Pittsburgh Steelers have seen in the past decade, if not longer.

With that said, whenever the NFL Network starts it's 'Top 100' list, I am always curious to see where the Steelers players fall on the list. Pittsburgh Steelers that make this list have become few and far between since they started the rankings. Needless to say, I was shocked when I saw Polamalu ranked at No. 61.

My main disgust for this distinction of Polamalu not even being in the top half of this list is simple. The people compiling the list spent too much time looking at statistics, and not nearly enough time at the actual games. For his standards, Polamalu had a very average statistical season.

Polamalu's stat line in 2013: 69 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 interceptions and 5 forced fumbles.

None of those categories were personal records for Polamalu, but the statistics aren't why he deserves to be ranked higher. Polamalu put up those stats, which are better than half of the safeties in the NFL, as an inside linebacker.

Last season when Larry Foote was injured and out for the remainder of the season, it was Polamalu that was forced into the linebacker role in sub packages due to his knowledge of the defense over the rookies that were filling in for Foote.

Polamalu was easily the Steelers' most valuable defensive player last year. Not for the stats that he put up, but for his versatility and playing all 16 games at multiple positions. Not many defensive players can say that, which is why it is a joke that Polamalu is ranked so low on this 'Top 100' list.