Formerly, he served as the running backs coach for the Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota Vikings, and Las Vegas Raiders.

His contributions helped the USC Trojans defeat the Ohio State Buckeyes, 20–17, in the 1985 Rose Bowl.

[6] In July 2013, Polamalu decided to coach his son at Loyola High School in Los Angeles.

In January 2017, the Minnesota Vikings officially announced the hiring of Polamalu as the team's running back coach.

[10] Polamalu is married to Stephanie Nelson and they share six children K.C., Matthew, Tre, Sophia, Andrew, and Xander.

He graduated from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, in 1982 where he also played basketball and ran track and field and was Student Body President his senior year.

In June,[12] he was part of a contingent that included former USC players Rey Maualuga, Deuce Lutui, Malaefou MacKenzie and others who returned to Samoa for a football camp sponsored by his nephew, former USC Trojans All-American and Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu.