https://triblive.com/sports/hines-ward-lone-former-steelers-player-to-reach-semifinal-round-in-pro-football-hall-of-fame-balloting/
Hines Ward lone former Steelers player to reach semifinal round in Pro Football Hall of Fame balloting
Hines Ward again has reached the semifinal round in Pro Football Hall of Fame balloting. Other eligible members of the Pittsburgh Steelers weren’t as fortunate.
Maurkice Pouncey, James Harrison and Gary Anderson did not advance to the list of 26 semifinalists remaining on the Hall of Fame ballot that was revealed Tuesday.
Ward is a semifinalist for the 10th time, making it to this stage every year since he became eligible in 2017. He is among 19 players who have reached the semifinal stage more than once. The wide receiver, though, has never advanced to the finals.
The list of semifinalists includes seven members who have reached this round for the first time, including five players in their first year of eligibility. Those players are Drew Brees, Frank Gore, Philip Rivers, Jason Witten and former Pitt wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.
Ward spent his entire career with the Steelers and is the franchise’s career leader in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches. He was the MVP of Super Bowl XL. He finished his career with 1,000 catches, 12,083 yards and 85 touchdowns. He had another 88 catches for 1,181 yards and 10 touchdowns in the postseason.
Ward also was considered the premier blocking wide receiver during his career, which is a reason Steelers coach Mike Tomlin believes Ward is worthy of induction.
“Numbers do not tell his story, although his numbers are special,” said Tomlin, who coached Ward for the final five seasons of the receiver’s 14-year career. “If you were around him, if you were in stadium with him or a member of his team or opposing player, you understood what playing with or against Hines Ward was about.
“He was a football player first, a wide receiver second. He was an offensive perimeter bully. I say that in a complimentary way. To me, he’s a legendary player from his generation because of the way that he played. The amount of respect he carried when he didn’t have the ball in his hands, when it wasn’t even a pass, is stuff of legend.”
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