Sports Illustrated cover featuring Steelers safety Troy Polamalu.

It’s rare to find a sports star who is both at the absolute top of his sport and who is deeply committed to his Christian faith.

Here’s one: Troy Polamalu, the all-pro strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Yesterday, Polamalu’s spectacular 40-yard interception return for a touchdown served as the exclamation point in the Steelers’ 23-14 win over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC championship game in Pittsburgh. The win vaulted the Steelers into the Feb. 1 Super Bowl against the NFC champion Arizona Cardinals.

That kind of game-breaking play is something that Steelers fans have come to expect from Polamalu. A profound commitment to his faith is something that Polamalu’s family, friends and teammates have also come to expect from him.

Earlier reports about Polamalu indicated he is Catholic, but according to this recent interview with Yahoo Sports he is actually Greek Orthodox. Every Tuesday, on his day off from practice, he and his wife Theodora travel to an Orthodox monastery near Pittsburgh to attend services there.

Here’s what Polamalu told Yahoo interviewer Jason Cole about how he orders his priorities in life:

How hard is it to get time at home during the season? I know guys like (Miami Dolphins linebacker) Zach Thomas stay at the facility until very late studying film and (Indianapolis Colts quarterback) Peyton Manning is watching film at home. 
Troy Polamalu: First of all, I’m a Christian so my prayer life really comes first. Second of all, I’m a husband so my wife comes before anything else. If I have time to do anything else after that, I do it, but I don’t sacrifice any time with her.

A lot of guys do it the other way around. Football comes first. They say family and faith come first, but they really do the football first. How do you reconcile it?
It’s really easy for me. I love my faith and I know that’s first ... I really think I know what’s important in my life and that’s my faith and my wife.

— Tom McFeely