Tommy Polley facts for kids

Tommy William Polley (born January 18, 1978) is a former American professional football player. He played as a linebacker for six seasons in the National Football League (NFL).

Tommy Polley started his NFL career with the St. Louis Rams in 2001. He played for them until 2004. Later, he joined the Baltimore Ravens in 2005 and then the New Orleans Saints in 2006. He grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, and played football at Dunbar High School. He was also a highly-rated basketball player in high school.

Early Life and High School Sports

Tommy Polley was known as one of the best young athletes in the country during his senior year at Dunbar High School. This school in Baltimore is famous for producing many talented basketball players.

In his senior year, Tommy was named USA Today's Player-of-the-Year for Maryland in football. He made 208 tackles, which means he stopped the opposing team's players many times. He also had 16 sacks, tackling the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage. He even caught 34 passes for 567 yards and three touchdowns as a receiver.

Tommy led his football team to win two state championships in a row during his junior and senior years. He was also named the Baltimore area Defensive Player-of-the-Year for both seasons. Besides football, he was a top basketball player. He helped his basketball team win four state titles in a row. In his senior year, he averaged 20.4 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game.

College Football Career

Tommy Polley received a scholarship to play football at Florida State University. He became a very important player for the team.

By the end of his college career, he had made 289 tackles. He was a semi-finalist for the Butkus Award, which is given to the best linebacker in college football. He was also chosen as a First-team All-ACC player.

In his last season at Florida State, Tommy made 100 tackles and recovered three fumbles. He was a defensive leader and team captain. He helped his team reach the National Championship game in 2001, though they lost to the Oklahoma Sooners. In 1999, his junior year, he led Florida State with 109 tackles and earned First-team All-ACC honors.

Professional Football Career

The St. Louis Rams picked Tommy Polley in the second round of the 2001 NFL draft. He had a good first season, making 67 tackles.

Tommy played in the NFL for six seasons. He made a total of 304 tackles during his career. After playing four seasons with the Rams, he spent one year with the Baltimore Ravens in 2005. His final year in the NFL was with the New Orleans Saints in 2006. He retired in 2007 because of a shoulder injury.

Coaching Career

After his playing career, Tommy Polley became a coach. He now coaches at St. Mary's High School in St. Louis, Missouri. He works as the defensive coordinator, helping to train the team's defense.