Face of the Franchise now Dancing in the Background?
Over the past few decades, the Pittsburgh Steelers have garnered a reputation for toughness, grit, and most notably, heart. Never has one single sports franchise been so solely synonymous with a particular style as the 'smash-mouth' brand has been cast upon the 'Steel City'. There's no point in spending time recanting the names and plays that made this the case throughout the 70's and 80's, we've heard and seen them a million times before. But over the past 10 years, there has been one constant, one name, one player that best represents my introduction. That would be the heart and soul of the Steeler offense, veteran receiver Hines Ward.
Drafted out of Georgia in 1998, Ward was told he'd never make it in the NFL. He'd been playing quarterback in college and was asked to make the transition to receiver, something that was successfully done far less 15 years ago than it is today. Not to mention he was undersized, and scouts initially weren't impressed with his 'possession-worthy' speed or even his hands, which have now become acclaimed. Nonetheless, he became a starter with Pittsburgh in his second NFL season, and his stats grew every year, becoming a 1,000 yard receiver by his 4th season, and never having under 750 yards since. Ward quickly became the steadiest and sure-handed wideout on the team, and the leadership skills followed. He became a beacon for 'the little guy' and a motivator for every WR that came after him. He was respected by the league for his toughness, and loved by his city for his positivity and spirit. Those monikers held true for every one of his 13 seasons played in the NFL. Problem is, this is his 14th season.
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The NFL is an ever-evolving game that is always waiting for the 'next big thing'. The epitome of that evolution revolves around speed when it comes to the wide receiver position, an attribute that eluded Ward to begin with. In a young man’s game, Ward is starting to become an anchor, more so by necessity than by choice, these days. In slightly over a half season this year, Ward has already missed 3 of the 9 games due to injury (which ties his record for amount of any games missed in any other season since his rookie year). Not only that, but Ward currently has 27 catches for 268 yards, which leaves him on pace for clearly his lowest totals in over 10 years. The Steelers' newfound, high-powered passing attack relies on quick-hitters and speed routes, displaying speedsters like Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown. This same offense has moved markedly easier downfield (with higher results) without Ward on the field.
All that being said, journalistic integrity at times takes a backseat when speaking of a hometown legend. Papers who report the demise of Ward, also consistently speak praise to the grace and class that Ward is showing in his step downward. He's still happy to help the team win anyway he can, including imparting his vast knowledge on Pittsburgh's young cast of pass catchers. He is, and always was, a 'team first' guy, who is as caring and resilient off the field as he's always been on it. Whether or not this season marks the end for Ward (or a downward trend), Ward is playing his part toward going out on top, as a champion, the same way he rallied the players to do for his friend, Jerome Bettis. Either way, this 'under-sized, slow' receiver will be doing more than dancing with the stars when his time in the NFL is done, he'll be sitting next to them in Canton, in the Hall of Fame.
By Jason Burke
Pro Football Fans Pittsburgh Steelers Correspondent