Former USC Great Troy Polamalu Cuts Locks For A Cause

To honor our nation's real heroes, future USC and NFL Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu cut his hair to raise money for veterans and their families.

Polamalu hadn't put a scissor to his hair in over a decade, and decided to team up with Head & Shoulders to raise awareness for the Veterans of Foreign Wars Foundation bringing in over $200,000 in donations.

Let's not forget that over on the field, Polamalu recorded three tackles and a pass deflection in the Steelers 23-10 victory over the Buffalo Bills. This highlighting another strong showing for USC to the NFL during Week 10.

Here's an interview with GQ Magazine describing the entire experience.

GQ: A growing number of athletes, especially in the MLB, have been growing out their beards for superstitious reasons. Do you feel that way about your hair at all?

Troy Polamalu: No, my hair is more like an appendage that's been growing and I don't want to lose it. I definitely wouldn't be cutting my hair if it weren't to help raise awareness and support the cause.

GQ: It's been 12 years since you had a cut. What was the occasion last time?

Polamalu: I actually had put chemical straighteners in it, which was a bad idea. And then my coach in college also asked me to cut it.

GQ: Will this affect the $1,000,000 insurance policy on your hair?

Polamalu: What they're cutting is probably about $100,000 worth of hair. (Laughs.) No, no it's fortunately not.

GQ: Are there any benefits to having big hair in football?

Polamalu: I used to think it provided cushioning for inside my helmet, but now it all falls out the back, so I'm not sure.