For the seventh-straight year , former Steelers WR Hines Ward has failed to become a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Four other receivers were named 2023 Hall of Fame finalists (Andre Johnson, Torry Holt, Reggie Wayne, Devin Hester), and it has those who are fans of Ward upset.
For those who believe Ward should already be cemented in Canton, Ohio, there is a real argument to make.
Ward played for the Steelers, who were a predominantly run-first team, for his entire career, and he still finished with impressive numbers. Ward finished his career with 12,083 receiving yards, which ranks 27th all time, ahead of Hall of Famers Michael Irvin (11,904) and Calvin Johnson (11,619). He had 1,000 receptions, ranking 14th all time, ahead of Hall of Famers Randy Moss (982) and Andre Reed (951) and Ward’s 85 receiving touchdowns rank 17th all time, ahead of Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson (83).
He didn’t just produce for Pittsburgh during the regular season either, showing up in some of the Steelers’ biggest games.
Ward posted 1,181 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in his postseason career, helping his team win two Super Bowls and earning a Super Bowl MVP award.
His numbers should do a lot of the talking, but his intangibles must be taken into consideration, too.
Ward was voted to four Pro Bowls and was arguably one of the best, if not the best, blocking receivers in NFL history.
It’s a difficult pill to swallow, but Ward’s fans will have to wait at least a year for him to have another chance at immortality.
