Hines Ward is one of the most beloved players in Pittsburgh Steelers history. While Ward was a wide receiver, he played with a physical edge that made him a fan favorite. He retired after the 2011 season, but unfortunately, he’s yet to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That frustrates a lot of fans who believe Ward should be immortalized in Canton, Ohio. However, Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter doesn’t believe Ward is deserving of that honor.
“Hines Ward, only 85 touchdowns, only four Pro Bowls,” Carter said recently on his Fully Loaded podcast. “Those numbers right there are hard to overcome. If he had 1,000 catches, 100 touchdowns? The MVP in that Super Bowl, it helps. He just doesn’t have the numbers. He had a very good career. No one went to Pittsburgh and put together a game plan being like, ‘Guys, we’ve gotta double-team Hines Ward.’
“He was a good player for a good team, very consistent, very physical, a lot of intangibles, but look at the guys we’ve got waiting. Torry Holt, Reggie Wayne. He’s not in the same stratosphere as those guys. It’s a lot of good receivers out there, but let’s separate between the good and the great. Hines Ward is in the good category.”
Ward finished his career with 1,000 catches, 12,083 yards, and 85 touchdowns. He was a four-time Pro Bowler, three-time second-team All-Pro, two-time Super Bowl champion, and MVP of Super Bowl XL.
It’s unfortunate, but Carter might have a point. Ward had a nice career, but he could find himself just on the outside of the Hall of Fame for multiple reasons.
First, Ward has yet to even be a finalist for the Hall of Fame. There’s a long line of receivers waiting to get into the Hall of Fame who have resumés either equal to or better than Ward’s. Holt and Wayne are two good examples. They both played during the same era as Ward, but they both beat him out in basically every important category.
Also, that line is only going to get longer. Ward currently has the 31st most receiving yards ever. However, he’s only going to continue getting pushed down that list because of the way that the game is played today. More receivers with better numbers are going to continue coming along.
Some fans might bring up Ward’s blocking prowess to help his case, but there’s no way to quantify that. That isn’t going to make up the distance that stands between Ward and Canton.
The fact of the matter is that Ward was never a first-team All-Pro. He was never seen as one of the very best players at his position. Steelers fans love Ward, and maybe one day he’ll find his way into the Hall of Fame, but it doesn’t seem likely, especially with the new voting rules in place.
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