Tommy Polley facts for kids

Tommy William Polley (born January 18, 1978) is a former American 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 from 2001 to 2004. After that, he joined the Baltimore Ravens in 2005. He played one season with the Ravens before signing with the New Orleans Saints in 2006.

Polley grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. He played football for Dunbar High School. He was also known as a top basketball player in high school.

Early Life and High School Success

Tommy Polley was a top athlete during his senior year at Dunbar High School in Baltimore. This school is famous for its great basketball players.

In his senior year, Polley was named USA Today’s Player of the Year in Maryland for football. He made 208 tackles, had 16 sacks, and caught eight interceptions. He also caught 34 passes for 567 yards and scored three touchdowns.

He helped his team win state championships two years in a row, as a junior and senior. He was also named the best defensive player in the Baltimore area both years.

Besides football, Polley was also one of the top 60 basketball players in the country. He led his high school team to 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

Polley went to Florida State University on a scholarship to play football. He finished his college career with 289 tackles.

He was a semi-finalist for the Butkus Award, which is given to the best linebacker in college football. He was also named an All-American and a First-team All-ACC player. He was a finalist for the ACC's Brian Piccolo Award because he bravely came back from an injury he got in the Sugar Bowl.

In his last year at Florida State, Polley made 100 tackles, including 53 solo tackles. He also had 7 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks, broke up 7 passes, recovered 3 fumbles, and forced one. As a defensive leader and captain, he helped the Seminoles reach another National Championship game in the 2001 Orange Bowl. However, his team lost to the Oklahoma Sooners.

In 1999, his junior year, Polley had a great season. He led Florida State with 109 tackles and six tackles for loss. He was named First-team All-ACC. In 1998, his sophomore year, he started 12 out of 13 games and made 59 tackles. In 1997, his freshman year, he played in all 12 games and made 21 tackles. He did not play in 1996, which was his redshirt year.

Professional Football Career

The St. Louis Rams picked Tommy Polley in the second round of the 2001 NFL draft. In his first year, he made 67 tackles.

Polley played in the NFL for six years. He made a total of 304 tackles. He retired in 2007 because of a shoulder injury. After playing four seasons with the Rams, he spent one year with the Baltimore Ravens and his final year with the New Orleans Saints.

Coaching Career

After his playing career, Tommy Polley became a coach. He coaches for St. Mary's High School in St. Louis, Missouri. He is the defensive coordinator for the team.