Hines Ward
Hines Ward
Hines Edward Ward, Jr.is a retired American football wide receiver, businessman, and television personality. He is the current NBC studio analyst who played 14 seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Georgia. The Pittsburgh Steelers selected him in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft, and he became the team's all-time leader in receptions, receiving yardage and touchdown receptions. Ward was voted MVP of Super Bowl XL, and...
ProfessionFootball Player
Date of Birth8 March 1976
CitySeoul, South Korea
I think we need to put a good drive together. Don't let us come out until we put seven, eight plays back-to-back. Then, I'm happy with that.
We've opened it up. We just want to add more balance to our offense, discourage this idea that you can stop the Steelers by putting eight men in the box.
He's a threat, no question. If you put eight in the box, and we block all eight, you are going to give up a big play. How do you deal with Willie? His speed has to be accounted for. I don't know how teams will defend him in the playoffs. He can go the distance any time. If we block it for him, we're going to get the home-run ball.
I think when Champ intercepted that ball and ran it all the way back and (almost) scored, Denver had the game in control.
It gave us the momentum. It got our crowd back into it.
It has been a heck of a ride. We get the opportunity to go down in history among some of the greatest players. This is what the Super Bowl is all about.
I think they went out of their way. It was far more than what I expected.
Jerome has just meant so much to us. For him to go out the way he went out (as a Super Bowl champion), if I was retiring and my career was towards the end, that's how I would want to go out.
Jerome has inspired each individual on this team in some form or way. He kind of inspires us to go out and play hard so we can get him that Super Bowl ring and end on a great note.
Jerome sort of acted as the mediator. One thing he mentioned during the holdout - and he's been through them - was not to make it personal because eventually it was going to get done and you have to come back and play for the team. You hold your ground but understand that it's a business.
Last year, going 15-1, everyone's patting you on the back telling you what a good job you did, it kind of got overwhelming. It can get overwhelming even for veteran guys.
Last year, everything was new to him, so he was just winging it. Now he's prepared himself, he's having fun, he's becoming a leader out there. He's a very situational guy. Third-and-short, he's looking for the guy to pick up the first down. I don't know what he was, completion-wise, but he was pretty good.
Last year, everything was new to Ben. Tonight, he was pretty crisp. The intangibles that he brings, I like a lot.
We dominated ... and we still lost. Hard to forget that one.