Handstand contest! (Twitter)

Bernard Pollard is known as one of the hardest-hitting safeties in the NFL. For most of his eight-year career thus far, he's been an excellent run defender and a fearsome force for pass-catchers coming over the middle. His hard hits earned him the nickname, "The Bonecrusher" while at Purdue.

Throughout his NFL career, Pollard's also had a strange run of season-ending hits, mostly against the Patriots. In 2008, he lunged at Tom Brady's leg while on the ground, a hit that resulted in Brady tearing his ACL and missing the rest of the season. In 2009, Pollard closed in on Wes Welker, forcing an awkward cut that resulted in the receiver tearing his ACL and MCL, and missing the rest of the season and the playoffs. In the 2012 AFC title game, Pollard put a hit on Rob Gronkowski that resulted in a high ankle sprain which severely limited Gronk in the ensuing Super Bowl. And in 2013, he made helmet-to-helmet contact with Stevan Ridley, a hit that resulted in both a fumble and a concussion.

This is all by way of saying that Pollard is a pretty tough dude, capable of physical feats not many others can accomplish. He's got a strong upper body and whatnot. How else would he deliver those hits? But apparently there's one thing he's not capable of: beating Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson in a handstand contest.

Apparently Pollard was only able to balance himself in the air for 20 seconds, while Johnson, who has experience at this sort of thing (she was a gold-medal winner for her balance beam exploits in 2008), lasted "forever." Even more incredible? Check out Johnson's left leg. It looks like she's got a huge brace on her knee.

I think I figured out why she won the contest, though. She's got better balance due to her leg position. Pollard's are already falling over his head, while Johnson's got one leg to each side. Better symmetry, or something. That makes sense, right?