STEELERS RELEASE HINES WARD

[hustlinflip]

http://www.latimes.com/sp...,1589870.story?track=rss

In a move that will play well with the finances but probably not the fans, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced Wednesday that they will release All-Pro receiver Hines Ward.

"We had a conversation today with Hines Ward and informed him that we plan to release him of his contract prior to the start of the 2012 NFL calendar year," Steelers President Art Rooney II told Steelers.com. "Hines has been an integral part of our success since we drafted him in 1998, and we will forever be grateful for what he has helped us achieve.

"He has meant so much to this organization both on and off the field, and we appreciate his efforts over the past 14 years. Hines' accomplishments are numerous, and he will always be thought of as one of the all-time great Steelers. We wish him nothing but the best."

The question now is whether Ward, a former Super Bowl most valuable player who turns 36 next week, will call it a career or carry on elsewhere. His salary last season was $3 million, and he was due to make $4 million this year, even as he had slipped to the fourth or fifth receiver on the roster. It is not known whether the Steelers made him an offer to stay.

"I don't think he's done," said New York Jets linebacker Bart Scott, who faced Ward at least twice a season when Scott played for Baltimore. "You never know how much he has in the tank. He can also be a good locker-room guy. He can tell you how to be a tough, hard-nosed receiver. But he can also tell the young, fast guys the subtle nuances of the position, because he had to use all the tricks."

Year after year, Ward distinguished himself as the best blocking receiver in the game.

The move is an indication that the Steelers plan to retain receiver Jerricho Cotchery, who caught 16 passes and scored two touchdowns in his first season with the Steelers last fall.

Ward's value within the division as a player who knows the Steelers offense inside and out is dampened by the fact the team switched offensive coordinators this off-season, from Bruce Arians to Todd Haley.

With Pittsburgh taking a hard-line business stance over sentimentality, it also raises questions about how the club will approach other star players on the backside of their careers, such as linebacker James Farrior and defensive tackle Casey Hampton.

Ward, a third-round pick who played quarterback in high school and receiver and tailback at Georgia, reached four Pro Bowls and is the Steelers' all-time leader in catches, yards receiving, and receiving touchdowns.

Ward was the MVP of Super Bowl XL after leading the Steelers to a 21-10 victory over Seattle. In 2008, he was the league's Walter Payton Man of the Year, and gained popularity outside the league last year by winning "Dancing with the Stars."

 

[az5950]

I feel old, having seen him play in College and remembering him, and im only 23.....hope they plan on re-signing Mike Wallace...he would be a bigger loss imo

 

[hyetothesky]

damn

 

[university of nike]

 

[03silverbullet]

football business is a b***h. after seeing how they were systematically working him out of the offense, you had to know this was coming, but damn. dude is my all time favorite steeler barely beating out rod woodson.

 

[Kimchi Papi]

I've been a Steeler fan since '78-'79. My dad had two restaurants in Pittsburgh back in the day that sports celebrities frequented. I've met many Steeler greats over the years and went to many regular season & playoff games specifically back in the day.

Having said this, it's a sad day. Hines embodied the Steeler tradition. He wasn't blessed with the talent that some of his fellow receivers had (especially since he started out as a QB at Georgia), but his work ethic made him into the player that he is. Always appreciated his heart, whether it was the crying or the smiling. He was always out there to have fun & made me think of Ken Griffey Jr back in the day when he was out there smiling.

He had sure hands, was fearless across the middle, came through in the clutch, & possibly the best blocking receiver of all time. In 14 years Hines has caught 1,000 passes for 12,083 yards, 12.1 yard average, 85 TDs, 2 superbowl wins, & a superbowl MVP...

I find it funny that these prissy defensive players here & there complained about getting hit by him. They had chances to get him back but Hines was crafty enough to get them first. The only player I can remember that laid him out a couple of times was ed reed.

I think he might be able to play another 2 years on a contending team. It will be sad to see him in another uni...Thanks for everything Hines.

 

[rolaholic]

Sad to see the way some of these players are being treated by their franchises. Absolutely amazed by the whole manning situation and how they're going to just toss him aside after all he did for them. The Saints seem to be doing the same since the still haven't signed Brees and will probably tag him. He had an record setting year and they're gonna tag him 

.
Football is a business but the way some of these long time players are treated is appalling 

. They chew you up then they spit you out 

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Originally Posted by Rolaholic

Sad to see the way some of these players are being treated by their franchises. Absolutely amazed by the whole manning situation and how they're going to just toss him aside after all he did for them. The Saints seem to be doing the same since the still haven't signed Brees and will probably tag him. He had an record setting year and they're gonna tag him 

.
Football is a business but the way some of these long time players are treated is appalling 

. They chew you up then they spit you out 

It will be weird seeing Manning & Hines playing for another team. I've always sided with players when they were up for new deals & held out trying to get the best deal. I would never recommend a homtown discount. I don't like however when dummy like Lance Briggs of Osi who have 3-4 years left on a deal wanting a bigger contract. Those dummies should've never signed that long of a deal. Seeing players being able to retire on the teams they started with will be very rare now...

  

 

[rolaholic]

Originally Posted by psk2310

Originally Posted by Rolaholic

Sad to see the way some of these players are being treated by their franchises. Absolutely amazed by the whole manning situation and how they're going to just toss him aside after all he did for them. The Saints seem to be doing the same since the still haven't signed Brees and will probably tag him. He had an record setting year and they're gonna tag him 

.
Football is a business but the way some of these long time players are treated is appalling 

. They chew you up then they spit you out 

It will be weird seeing Manning & Hines playing for another team. I've always sided with players when they were up for new deals & held out trying to get the best deal. I would never recommend a homtown discount. I don't like however when dummy like Lance Briggs of Osi who have 3-4 years left on a deal wanting a bigger contract. Those dummies should've never signed that long of a deal. Seeing players being able to retire on the teams they started with will be very rare now...

  

Scrub players like those demanding new contracts when they're not deserving,they're complaining when even +@@+%%+ Drew Brees can't get a new contract 

. The last part of your post is a damn shame,seeing longtime franchise players wearing another teams jersey 

 

[dmxfury]

Sad but necessary day. I hope he returns as a coach, he has done a great job mentoring Mike, Antonio and Limas when he was around. Every time they make a good downfield block, that's because of Hines. Leader in every statistical receiving category for an all time great franchise and future HOF (after the WR log jam clears). Best of luck Hines

 

[eze jay]

Shame to see him go...gave it his all every time out there...def will always be appreciated

 

[Kimchi Papi]

dmxfury wrote:

---

Sad but necessary day. I hope he returns as a coach, he has done a great job mentoring Mike, Antonio and Limas when he was around. Every time they make a good downfield block, that's because of Hines. Leader in every statistical receiving category for an all time great franchise and future HOF (after the WR log jam clears). Best of luck Hines

DMX, I don't think people realize what Hines did for those young receivers including Santonio. He really took them under his wing & showed them everything he could. I'd looooove to see him come back as a WR coach...  

 

[krazy88s]

Agreed with the Steelers fans here. This had to be done. Two 1,000 receivers a good TE plus the fact that Hines simply can't run, even for his usual speed. James Farrior should be next imo.

 

[Kimchi Papi]

I'll always have the play/catch shown in the photo of Hines ingrained in my memory. Also the hit he put on Ed Reed at the 1.22 mark of the vid...

Edit - LMFAO...He made it so defensive players had to look out for him on the field so they wouldn't get laid out...Think about that....

 

[jaysfiend23]

Watch him join manning or jump on lord b or the bengals def not a fan of ward but do appreciate his work effort and his game

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Here's a great peice from SI.com's Chris Burke on what made Hines so effective. Link here.

[h1]Break It Down: The versatility of Hines Ward[/h1]

Hines Ward's ability to make tough catches and willingness to take punishment made him a perfect fit for the Steelers. (Getty Images)

Even though it really came as no surprise, Pittsburgh’s announcement that it would release 14-year veteran Hines Ward sent shockwaves through Steelers Nation. Ward is the franchise’s all-time leading receiver and, just this past season, became the eighth player in NFL history to reach 1,000 catches.

Without being the fastest or most physically gifted wide receiver, Ward carved out a role perfectly suited to his abilities in Pittsburgh.

And, as a bit of a tribute to Ward’s distinguished Steelers career, let’s break down how he has been so successful.

Ward’s production and playing time dropped way off during the 2011 season — his 381 yards and two touchdowns were his lowest totals since his rookie year of 1998. But even as his career has made the turn for home, Ward has continued to flash glimpses of his overall game.

We start our look back with a prototypical Ward TD catch, against the Bengals in the 2010 season. Lined up wide right in a four-receiver, shotgun formation, Ward just floated to the middle of the field and made himself available for Ben Roethlisberger.



There are a lot of receivers who are hesitant to go over the middle. Not only does Ward not hesitate to drift into that danger zone, he has always displayed a knack for finding just enough room to make catch after catch.

You can see that highlighted in this TD grab against the Bengals. It was a third-and-goal from the Cincinnati 8, so the defense had sagged a bit toward the goal line, content to give up something underneath. Ward, though, found a soft spot in the coverage and managed to get his defender sealed off on his back hip.

The window was small, but it was enough for Roethlisberger to thread the needle for six.



The Steelers used Ward in just about every way possible — as a deep threat, as the top option over the middle, and, especially in 2011 as they tried to get him to 1,000 career catches, as the main target on bubble screens.

Some of Ward’s best work, though, came when plays broke down, which is why he enjoyed so much success when paired with Roethlisberger, who is as skilled at improvising under pressure as any QB in the league. In another play from the 2010 season, this time Week 7 at Miami, you can get a sense for Ward’s ability to simply outthink the defense in order to get open.

On the play, there were three receivers lined up to Roethlisberger’s left. Heath Miller, set on the right side of the line, drove to the near sideline, while the running back next to Big Ben also released as a receiving option.

Ward, meanwhile, ran a deep post route down the middle of the field.



Roethlisberger struggled to find anyone open at first — including Ward, who wound up covered in the middle of Miami’s zone by linebacker Karlos Dansby. As Roethlisberger escaped pressure and looked downfield, Dansby closed on Ward.



Feeling that coverage coming, Ward released back upfield and broke to the sideline. By doing that, he was able to leave the slower Dansby in his wake and take advantage of the opening created by Miller and Pittsburgh’s back occupying Miami’s defense.

Ward came wide open and Roethlisberger delivered a strike for a big gain.



Seattle witnessed first-hand Ward’s and Roethlisberger’s ability to make things up on the fly during Super Bowl XL. With the Steelers trailing 3-0 and facing a 3rd-and-28 late in the second quarter, Roethlisberger lined up with an empty backfield and five wide receivers. Ward is boxed.



The play turned into a mad scramble — Roethlisberger ducked out of the pocket to his left, then finally turned to throw after he moved outside the 40-yard number to his left. He uncorked a bomb all the way back across the field to the opposite corner, where Ward was locked up with safety Michael Boulware.

When Roethlisberger let go of the pass, Ward was two yards deep in the end zone and Boulware was in front of him at the goal line. By the time the ball reached the two, Ward had doubled back. In doing so, he managed to work his way inside Boulware. He made a tumbling catch just shy of the goal line, setting up a Roethlisberger 1-yard TD just moments later.



Finally, you cannot talk about Ward without mentioning his blocking ability. Should Ward eventually make it to the Hall of Fame one day, his reputation as one of the NFL’s best blocking receivers ever could help him there.

The following photos come from a 2007 game (apologies in advance for these highlights having all the clarity of an alleged Loch Ness Monster photo).

The Steelers were in a more traditional, pro-style set for this particular play, with an I-formation behind Roethlisberger, two tight ends and two wide receivers. They motioned Ward in tight to the right side of the line, essentially making him a third tight end on this run play.



Now, remember, this is a 6-foot, 205-pound receiver …

After motioning in tight Ward jumped up into a hole between the tight end and right tackle to wipe out a blitzing linebacker.



Ward’s knack for blocking — and total willingness to take on those responsibilities — made him invaluable for years in Pittsburgh.

Who could forget his punishing block on Cincinnati’s Keith Rivers back in 2008? While the hit broke Rivers’ jaw and ended his season, there was no penalty called on the play and the NFL did not see any reason to pursue discipline against Ward, deeming the block a clean one.

Roethlisberger dumped a pass off to tight end Matt Spaeth on the play, and Ward came back to destroy an unsuspecting Rivers. Ward’s the white blur in the photo below (and, again, apologies for the NFL’s pre-2010 highlights having all the HD capabilities of the Zapruder film).



Ward didn’t just run interference or try to cut Rivers low. He laid into him with full force, driving his helmet and shoulder directly into Rivers, knocking the Cincinnati linebacker flying off his feet.



Ward absorbed the hit no worse for the wear. While it was just one of hundreds of blocks Ward threw over his Pittsburgh career, it also stands as the perfect example of what a well-rounded weapon he has been.

Pittsburgh’s salary cap troubles and Ward’s declining skills made their split an understandable one. It may be a long time, however, before the Steelers find another receiver so perfectly suited to playing their style of football.

 

[nappy]

Loved watching this guy play. First ballot HOF. He's the only non 49er whose jersey I would wear.

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Originally Posted by Nappy

Loved watching this guy play. First ballot HOF. He's the only non 49er whose jersey I would wear.

You would think so but Andre Reed, Tim Brown, & Chris Carter are waiting to get in so not sure Hines will get in quickly...Maybe his superbowl bling & MVP will help along with his stellar blocking will help push him in when he's eligable (5 years after he retires)...

  

 

[Peep Game]

Being a Seahawks fan, I've never liked him, but respected his play. It sucks that veterans end up being treated like that, but for the Steelers,
they were basically writing him off anyway. When it all comes down to it, football is a business, and no player is immune to that, regardless
of your elite standing.

 

[fade on you]

 

[6 Rings G.O.A.T.]

i knew the crying gif was going to be in this thread..

 

[onewearz]

ed reed can stop looking over his shoulder now

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Looks like Hines is announcing his retirement today. According to ProFootballTalk (post here), Hines & the Steelers are holding a press conference today. I hope he can come back as a receivers coach. He worked a lot with all the young guys that have come through to try & help them become better receivers. I'll really miss seeing him play out there on Sundays making clutch catches & laying wood to defensive players.

[h1]Steelers plan Hines Ward press conference[/h1]
Posted by Michael David Smith on March 20, 2012, 8:52 AM EDT


The Pittsburgh Steelers have announced a press conference today with their all-time leading receiver, Hines Ward. Presumably, the announcement will be that Ward is retiring from the NFL.

Although there’s no official word on the 36-year-old Ward’s retirement, it’s hard to think of any other reason that Ward would be making any type of announcement.

The Steelers released Ward early this month, and he has drawn no interest at all in the free agent market. Ward had noticeably slowed down last season, catching just 46 passes for 381 yards, for an average of only 8.3 yards a catch.

Now he appears to have accepted that his career is over. It was a brilliant career that saw him collect 1,000 catches for 12,083 yards and 85 touchdowns, with four Pro Bowls, two Super Bowl rings and a Super Bowl MVP award.

If Ward has played his final game, he’ll be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.

 

[jd214]

Not surprised, But damn I feel bad for dude.

 

[finallyfamous]

DGD, and even though I never rooted for him in the NFL, I had great respect and appreciation for him.

Dude was a winner.