Which safety has the edge?
by Ken Fernando
2000s football will be remembered for its hard-hitting action. Two legends of that era who defined that are Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu. Both were safeties who were feared upon by teams. Ed was known for his intelligence on the field while Polamalu was an agent of chaos. We dig in to the question: Who was better between the two?
Ed Reed was the 24th pick in the 2002 NFL Draft after a standout college career with the Miami Hurricanes. He was an All-American who has the record for 21 career interceptions, including 5 pick-6s for the Hurricanes. In his 12 year career, he made 9 Pro Bowls and won the 2004 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. His tape studying is the stuff of legends making it difficult for opposing teams in their passing game. He was inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019. His greatness is captured in a clip where Tom Brady and Bill Belichick discuss how to gameplan against Ed.
Troy Polamalu was the 16 th pick in the 2003 NFL Draft after being a USC Trojan. He was the team captain as a junior and was already known for making big plays even in college. In his 12 year career, he was called to 8 Pro Bowls and the 2010 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. His reputation for making big plays continued into his pro career. His instincts were the stuff of legends, especially his timing leaping over the line of scrimmage for a loss of yards for the opposing team. Pat McAfee remembers Polamalu for the “C-Gap” play which stopped him from his potential first ever TD. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020.
There are no right or wrong answers with this question. Two generational talents, who played at the same time, are still well-regarded by their peers until this day. However, if I were to pick one, give me Ed Reed. His ability to read and study the field gives me confidence that I have to worry about just one side of the field.
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