UrbanUpdate

It's not everyday a guy gets immortalized in wax, but it's also not every day you meet a professional football player nearly as famous for his locks as his knocks. Super-down-to- earth and soft-spoken Steelers defensive back Troy Polamalu has been one of the best, most consistent players in the NFL for the past decade, and that's practically how long he's gone without a haircut. Head & Shoulders famously insured Polamalu's hair for a million bucks last fall, and now he's got a likeness in Madam Tussauds. We asked the notoriously coiffed safety what it takes to keep up that mane of his...

GQ: How was the unveiling of your new likeness?

Troy Polamalu: It was pretty cool! It's crazy, I'm still blown away someone would want to make a wax figure of me, it's kind of overwhelming, of course. But, overall it's cool.

GQ: Your hair is notorious, it's been everywhere these past couple years. We've even seen fake web videos of dudes trying to buzz it. You must take some good-natured flak in the locker room...

Polamalu: Yeah, guys joke around. Even opponents will approach me on the field, and tell me they're going to shave my head. It's a pretty overused joke at this point, I think, by now. People even sometimes try to act out the commercials, it's like really?!

GQ: Correct us if we're wrong, but you were the first real marquee player to have the long-haired look going in the league, and there's been talks of rule changes, a ton of guys following your lead, etc...

Polamalu: I mean, guys have worn afros or longer hair in the past, but yeah, more recently players have kind of taken to a little. There was even talk at one point of not allowing players to wear their hair long. I'm glad that's dissolved. [Laughs] It's kind of been a subject of great dispute, for better or worse.

GQ: Is there an insane grooming regimen?

Polamalu: Not really. Actually it's pretty simple. There's not anything crazy that goes into prepping it for games. Just a quick shower, shampoo.

GQ: Looks like you'll be going to the Super Bowl regardless of your team's performance, or at least the wax version of you...

Polamalu: [Laughs] yeah. The wax figure we unveiled today will kind of be going on the road. You can follow it on Twitter, and there's a Facebook page. It's going to end up at the media center at the Super Bowl in Indianapolis. It's been a fun idea.

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