Former Steelers great Hines Ward shares the main reason he’s not in the Hall of Fame

Hines Ward quickly recalls a 2008 game between the Steelers and Texans, a game where the former Steelers player grabbed the first two touchdowns as Pittsburgh won in a rout.

While the Steelers spent the majority of the second half chasing the ball and protecting their big lead, the Texans broadcast it while using the talents of their No. 1, Andre Johnson. The Steelers ultimately won the game, but Johnson finished with showier numbers. This is just one example of Ward winning the match but, based on circumstances beyond his control, not putting in more numbers than any of his peers.

It’s one of the reasons Ward feels he’s not currently in the Pro Football Hall of Fame despite being a semi-finalist for the past six years. Although he twice achieved the team’s ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl, a specific individual accolade might be what kept Ward from receiving the highest individual honor a professional football player can receive. .

“The comments, or what I’ve heard, are, ‘Well, you’re (weren’t) an All-Pro,'” Ward said in a recent interview with CBS Sports. “Well, I wasn’t in an offense to be an All-Pro. We had All-Pro offensive linemen and we had All-Pro running backs because that’s what our offense was. .”

Ward has spent most of his 14-year career playing on first attack. Instead of going deep and setting up big stats, Ward was doing yeoman’s job catching passes down the middle and making blocks to help open up running space for Jerome Bettis and Willie Parker.

When called upon to make plays in the passing game, Ward almost always delivered. With the running game neutralized, Ward made two of the biggest plays of Super Bowl XL, including the game-winning touchdown catch that earned him the game’s MVP honors. Ward made various other big catches in moments of clutch during his career while helping the Steelers return to the top echelon of the NFL.

“I look at what I did in the 2000s,” Ward said. “To go to three Super Bowls, win two. I was an integral part of this team just as much as anyone in our organization. But like my mom always told me, only control what you can control I can’t control (the Hall of Fame) so just to have my name mentioned among some of the greatest to ever wear the uniform is a blessing in itself for me and it That’s what I’ll hang my hat on for now.”

Ward doesn’t necessarily agree with Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin’s sentiment that if the Steelers had beaten the Packers in Super Bowl XLV, he would already have a bronze bust and a gold jacket.

“I don’t think I should have to win three Super Bowls,” Ward said. “Most people don’t have one and they’re in the Hall, so you’re saying I have to climb the mountain to win three just to get an offer? For some reason, that’s what it is. “

A third-round pick in the 1998 NFL Draft, Ward first made a name for himself in the NFL as a special teams star. He won a starting job in 1999 despite Pittsburgh drafting compatriot Troy Edwards in the first round during the offseason. Once in the starting lineup, Ward quickly cemented his reputation as an uncompromising player who embraced all aspects of being a football player.

Ward began to receive league-wide acclaim for the work he was doing in 2001. He was named to his first of four consecutive Pro Bowls while helping the Steelers reach the AFC Championship Game. Ward’s success that season was significant given that Pittsburgh lost Bettis for the latter part of the regular season after the future Hall of Famer suffered an injury.

Ward had his statistical best season a year later despite the Steelers’ quarterback switch. Pittsburgh went from Kordell Stewart to Tommy Maddox, who before this season hadn’t started in an NFL game since 1992 and had yet to win a regular season start. Ward had another great year in 2003 before recording his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard campaign with a rookie quarterback under center: Ben Roethlisberger. Ward was in his seventh season — and had already earned three Pro Bowl nods — when Big Ben began his Hall of Fame career with the Steelers.

“My best years, I didn’t even have Ben Roethlisberger,” Ward said. “And remember, I had Ben when I was young. I didn’t have Ben when he was a veteran, calling his own plays and throwing the ball 60 yards.”

Either way, Ward’s career numbers are on par with some of the most prolific expansions in league history. He’s 27th in league history with 12,083 yards, just ahead of Hall of Fame wides Michael Irvin and Calvin Johnson. He is one of 14 receivers in league history with 1,000 career receptions. He has 18 more career catches than Hall of Fame catcher Randy Moss, who was inducted in Canton in his first year of eligibility. Ward is tied for 16th all-time with 85 touchdowns, the same tally Hall of Fame wides Lance Alworth and Paul Warfield had in their careers.

Ward’s playoff totals are what really put his Hall of Fame argument over the top. He’s ninth all-time with 1,181 receiving yards in the playoffs and tied for fifth with 10 touchdowns. His three touchdowns in the 2005 playoffs helped the Steelers become the first sixth seed to win the Super Bowl.

Ward once played with some of the most prolific and prominent receivers in history, a group that includes Moss, Andre Johnson, Calvin Johnson, Chad Johnson, Marvin Harrison, Terrell Owens, Torry Holt, Reggie Wayne and Steve Smith Sr., among others. Unlike Ward, many of these players have been focal points for first pass violations. Calvin Johnson, Moss, Harrison and Owens have earned 15 combined All-Pro nominations and are each in the Hall of Fame. Conversely, Holt, Smith, Ward, Wayne, Chad Johnson and Andre Johnson have received eight combined All-Pro nominations and are not in the Hall despite similar numbers and, in the case of Holt, Ward and Wayne, making an integral part of championship teams.

“For me, I don’t know what’s going on in All-Pro,” Ward said. “One, when you’re not in an offense that’s designed to help you be an All-Pro receiver. And two, when you’ve got Randy Moss, Marvin Harrison, year after year, posting stellar stats. But that doesn’t shouldn’t rain on my parade. I look at the guys that are on this list, and I feel like I should be in the mix with all of these guys. … For the people, so sit there and say : “Well he’s not ‘All-Pro’, I laugh and I laugh because for me it doesn’t make any sense.”

As it stands, Ward remains the standard when it comes to Steelers receivers. He remains atop the team’s career record books for receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. Ward joined several of his former teammates in the Steelers Hall of Honor in 2019.

Ward said he’s surprised he’s still the Steelers’ receiving leader 11 years after making their final for the black-and-gold.

“Considering the game is passing now,” Ward said with a laugh. “I think all the records are made to be broken by these great elite players. Seeing my name still top of the list when it comes to assists, receiving categories is a blessing for me, considering all the greats players Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, Antonio Brown, all the guys I played with and then the young group of guys, Diontae (Johnson) and Chase (Claypool) and (George) Pickens I mean, these guys are damn good.

“A lot of talent has come through this organization. So to sit at the top I’m grateful but all records are made to be broken. Now you have all 17 games in a league passing so who knows if But at the end of the day, I think being on top is about longevity and having productivity year after year and playing my whole career for a big organization like Pittsburgh. …Even though I’m not in the Hall, but just to be mentioned among one of the greatest to ever wear the black and gold uniform is a blessing to me, and I’m so grateful.

Ward is currently an ambassador for the NFL Alumni Association’s Huddle Up: Let’s Talk Obesity campaign, which aims to encourage men to open up about excessive weight gain and associated health. Ward hopes his own weight loss journey can inspire other men to lead healthier, more active lifestyles. Ward said a visit to the doctor inspired her lifestyle changes.

“I tried to be active as a player,” Ward said. “I then did ‘Dancing With the Stars’ and I did an Ironman. It wasn’t until I became a coach, you’re sitting at the desk all day, eating and watching a movie. And then you hit COVID, when you’re not a coach, sitting around watching a lot of TV… As a retired player, you get older, your metabolism starts kicking in, you can’t sit still and eat whatever you want to eat.

“I still have a long way to go, but I’m trying to figure out my habits and my lifestyle. Sleeping, not eating a whole bag of Cheetos (laughs). … For me, it was a style decision. life. I wanted to live longer and I wanted to be healthier. … Just to spread the word, talk about my past, if I can touch a person to help them get off the couch and help them go at the doctor, getting a checkup, helping invest in their time, that’s why I wanted to be part of this whole campaign, because I think it’s important.”

Ward said some of his former teammates made a friendly bet in their group chat based on who lost the most weight in retirement. Having a support system, Ward said, is key to living a healthier, more balanced life.

“I have a great group of teammates. No matter what we do for a living, we’re just competitors,” Ward said. “It just gives me extra motivation to stay on top of my game when I’m competing against my teammates when it comes to losing weight and getting back in shape.”