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
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.
If anyone wants to play the respect card, be mad at the people that make the odds, don't be mad at us. I don't know how they can feel disrespected when everybody had them going to the Super Bowl anyway. We feel like we're the underdog. Nobody was talking about us.
Last year when we had home-field advantage, it was kind of more of a distraction more than anything. We had more ticket requests. A lot of people wanted to come and watch. With us going on the road, we really don't have to worry about that too much. We just go out there and concentrate on football.
Joey is a bold man. We're his teammates. We've got to back him up. Stevens, that's on him. I don't believe in calling people out. I'm a big believer in letting my play do the talking.
I was a little worried with the holdout, of people questioning my character and being put in the category of a T.O., ... But I went to pick up my wife and son at the airport yesterday and the lady at the Great Steak place said, 'I can't give you a million dollars, but I can give you a steak sandwich for free.' I got a kick out of 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.
I remember he got in the huddle and a couple offensive linemen couldn't hear the play because he was talking real softly. He was looking down, calling plays off his wristband, and a lot of people couldn't read his lips. So it was a long day.
I don't know how (the Seahawks) can feel disrespected when everybody had them going to the Super Bowl, anyway. We feel like we're the underdog. Nobody was talking about us. For us to do what we have done, people want to jump on the bandwagon now.
People really appreciate the way I play.
My whole life I've been trying to prove people wrong. I ended up beating everything.
We have to count our blessings. The man above, he really looked down on Jerome and said, 'I'm not going to let you end your career on a fumble like that.' ... We're one game away from getting him to Detroit.
We fell one game short (last year). A lot of guys are focused, real hungry. Things didnt go particularly the way we wanted in the preseason, but you dont game-plan in the preseason. Our whole focus now is Tennessee.
We felt we were in control. But they played 60 minutes and we didn't. So now we've got to regroup and let's try to win 13 straight.
We felt we were in control. But they played 60 minutes, and we didn't.