"The question is not: Is Hines Ward finished as a player? He most certainly is not. Did you see him leap over safety Michael Griffin to score his second touchdown against the Tennessee Titans last Sunday?

The question is: Will Ward be content all season to play a lesser role for the Steelers? That one is harder to answer. It's always difficult for a future Hall of Famer to step aside. It's especially difficult for a player with Ward's pride.

"I don't want to be a cancer on this team," he said last week.

I believe him. I believed him when he added, "It's not about Hines Ward. It's about the Pittsburgh Steelers winning ballgames." He mentioned the great Larry Fitzgerald, an All-Pro wide receiver with the Arizona Cardinals and a former Pitt All-American. "He has 10 times more ability than me, but what has he won?" Ward asked. "I've talked to him about it. He told me he would trade it all to have one of my Super Bowl rings.""