"For 14 years, Hines Ward has taken a beating, sacrificing his body by willingly running crossing routes patrolled by heavy-hitting safeties and head-hunting linebackers.

Every time, it seemed, he pulled himself up with that familiar, in-your-face smile still intact.

But age and experience has left his battle-weary body vulnerable. He limped off with an ankle injury earlier this season against Arizona and was KO'd by Baltimore's Ray Lewis on a helmet-to-helmet blow that left him concussed.

At 35, Ward has played through the headaches and pain. But the usually reliable and durable wide receiver has spent much of the past three games watching second-year receiver Antonio Brown transition effortlessly into the starting role."