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.
People may put them down, but they're the champions. Until someone dethrones them, they're still the team to beat in the NFL.
You don't really realize you're playing with a Hall of Fame running back until it comes to the end. But for all he has done for this organization, the city of Pittsburgh, he epitomizes what the Pittsburgh Steelers are all about, a class act on and off the field. I don't even think he realizes how much of a role model he is. Guys just feed off him as far as how he handles situations, how he approaches each and every Sunday, how he approaches practice each and every day.
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?
I didn't sleep much. I had nerves. It didn't hit me until the second quarter, 'I'm playing in the Super Bowl.' I left some plays out there I usually could make in my sleep. But I have no complaints.
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.