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
Of course, all wide receivers want to catch all the balls, ... But the game plan that day was for us to go out and run the ball. I only had two attempts, so I made the most of it.
Carolina played a lot of Cover 2. When teams play Cover 2, you have to be able to run the ball. We didn't do that. And, we have to stay away from negative (yardage) plays.
It was third and long and we were scrambling around. We practice on the scrambling drill. Ben threw it kind of short; I had to run back.
As a receiver, you just have to continue blocking to help the running backs out, and when called upon on third down and passing situations, you got to come up big like we did.
You really don't realize you're playing with a Hall of Fame running back until it comes to an end. If this will be his last year, what better way than to finish where it all started?
The ball is getting spread around, and everybody's happy. We're still trying to find our identity. We're still a running team, but, when it's time to make plays in the passing game, we've got confidence all three of our guys can go out there and get the job done.
The thing about having Willie is that, if we just get people blocked up front, he can run a long, long way. He forces defenses to play us a little bit differently than in the past. Defenses know now that, if they miss a gap and Willie gets into the open, it's all over.
I'm sure Cleveland is going to be looking to knock us out of the playoffs. It's a playoff run from here on out. We have to play on the road, and what better way to get that experience than to go out and approach each game like it is your last game?
He's touched every player in this locker room in some way, somehow. I just didn't want him to go out like that, one game short of the Super Bowl. It's not often you're playing with a Hall of Fame running back, and a Hall of Fame guy, period. I appreciate what he's done for my career, and having him come back and winning a Super Bowl where it all started, I'm glad to help him achieve that.
It was probably more gratifying going through it this way. Nothing was ever given to us. We earned it.
That was a rocket. I made an adjustment on my route. He had to make an adjustment and somehow he got the ball to me. That was amazing.
He saved the year for us with that tackle.
It's better, ... I could have practiced today. We'll see how it goes. I want to be there in the end, so I don't want to risk anything.
Are you a little envious? Yeah, I can say that. Everywhere I go, those guys are flashing it every time. It's always motivation.