Pittsburgh Steelers former All-Pro wide receiver, Hines Ward was named as one of 25 modern-era semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, along with his former teammate, James Harrison. This is the eighth time that Ward has reached the cutdown to the semifinals, and this year he made it from the original 173 candidates that were announced in September of 2023. Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin, whose time in Pittsburgh overlapped Ward's for several years, spoke to the media about the announcement.
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Pittsburgh Steelers former wide receiver, Hines Ward holds the franchise records for receiving yards, touchdowns, and catches.
Ward was selected by the Steelers in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft, out of the University of Georgia. By the time Tomlin had taken over the head coaching spot in 2007, Ward had already been to four Pro Bowls. He helped the Steelers win Super Bowl XL in 2006 and was named MVP of that win over the Seattle Seahawks. He was known for his contributions to trick plays, such as the 43-yard touchdown reception he caught from fellow wide receiver Antwaan Randle El to secure the victory. He was a unique kind of receiver and Tomlin hopes this will be his year.
"Hines is like John Lynch to me. I coached both guys, stats don't tell their story. Ask the men that played football against them, of that generation, about their impact on the game and how the game is played, and in some instances how the game is officiated. Hines is a football player first and a receiver second. I used to say that to describe him all the time because of the ridiculous consistency of his toughness."
John Lynch was a safety in the NFL for 15 seasons, and during his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tomlin was one of his coaches. Despite his tremendous impact on the game of football, Lynch, like Ward, was nominated to the Hall of Fame eight times. He was finally inducted in 2022. Lynch went to nine Pro Bowls and helped the Buccaneers win Super Bowl XXXVII, but as a safety, he seemed to be overlooked by the committee. The committee often gets criticized for focusing too much on stat columns and less on actual impact.
"He is well deserving of consideration and I hope it happens for him this time. But if I am going to phrase it succinctly in terms of my experience and exposure, I feel similarly to how I felt about John Lynch; stats are just a component of the story in terms of the type of player that he was," said Tomlin.
Ward is the Steelers franchise leader in receptions with 1,000, receiving yards with 12,083, and receiving touchdowns with 85. In addition to winning two Super Bowls and going to multiple Pro Bowls, Ward was the Steelers' 2008 Walter Payton Man of the Year. He was also selected by his teammates as the team MVP three times during his career: 2002, 2003, and 2005.
Steelers' James Harrison Is Also Up For Consideration
Harrison is up for the Hall of Fame for the second time. He and Ward will now wait to see if they make the next level of cuts. The committee will pare the list down to 15 Modern-Era Player Finalists. The final Class of 2024 selection will be announced on February 8 during the NFL Honors telecast.
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Former Steelers linebacker James Harrison was well known for his hard hits and his intense stare.
With one of the most incredible stories of personal perseverance in football history, Harrison fought his way to the top during his career. After being undrafted because teams thought he was too small to play linebacker, he was signed by the Steelers in 2002. He spent the next two years being cut and released from the practice squad. During that time, he was also signed and released by the Baltimore Ravens.
On the verge of giving up his dream and becoming a veterinarian, he was signed by the Steelers for a fourth time. Harrison made the final roster and never looked back. Like Ward, he helped the Steelers win two Super Bowls. His 100-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII still lives in infamy.
Overall, Harrison was with the Steelers for 14 seasons and had 80.5 sacks, which was a team record until it was just surpassed by T.J. Watt. He was named the Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2008. He was also selected to five Pro Bowls.
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Steelers' Hines Ward was named Super Bowl XL MVP.
While both Ward and Harrison have all of the intangibles needed to launch a case for a bust in Canton, they were also both unique players who didn't necessarily fit the mold of what was expected. Ward, who played quarterback as well as receiver in college, gave the Steelers the flexibility to run unique gadget plays that stymied opposing defenses.
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