Kennedy Polamalu
A visionary offensive coach who shaped powerful rushing attacks by blending Samoan cultural strength with intricate football strategy.
Born 1963 (age 63)·American Samoan football coach·Birthday: November 22·Baby Boomers
Biography
Kennedy Polamalu's impact on football is felt in the trenches, where he built some of the most physically dominant rushing offenses of his era. A former fullback at the University of Southern California, his understanding of the game's physical and tactical layers was forged on the field. His coaching philosophy is deeply influenced by his American Samoan heritage, emphasizing family, respect, and a collective toughness that translates directly to the gridiron. Polamalu made his name as a master teacher of running backs, developing stars like Maurice Jones-Drew and Adrian Peterson during prolific seasons. His most significant chapter came at his alma mater, USC, where as offensive coordinator he oversaw a punishing ground game that defined the Trojans' identity. While his NFL stints as a coordinator were brief, his reputation as a cultivator of talent and a builder of cohesive, hard-nosed offensive lines remains unquestioned among players and peers.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Kennedy was born in 1963, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Kennedy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1963
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Best Picture
Tom Jones
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Kennedy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1963Born
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1968Started school
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1976Became a teenager
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Could drive
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1981Could vote
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Turned 21
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1993Turned 30
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 40
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 50
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 60
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 63 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the offensive coordinator for the USC Trojans football team from 2014 to 2015.
- Coached running back Adrian Peterson during his 2,097-yard MVP season with the Minnesota Vikings in 2012.
- Helped develop Maurice Jones-Drew into a three-time Pro Bowl selection while with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
- Was the offensive coordinator for the UCLA Bruins football program in 2016.
Did You Know?
He is the uncle of former NFL safety Troy Polamalu.
He played fullback at the University of Southern California from 1982 to 1985.
His coaching career began at his high school alma mater, Servite High School in Anaheim.
He is known for using traditional Samoan proverbs and concepts to motivate his players.
“Football is won by controlling the line of scrimmage with physicality and will.”
