"With one sliding catch, Hines Ward erased all concerns about his surgically repaired thumb.

Practicing for the first time this season, Ward half-slid, half-dove to catch a Ben Roethlisberger pass during red zone drills. Ward bobbled the pass but held on for the reception, and he said afterward that it was the perfect test for his thumb.

"I caught that one and I was like, 'Wow!' It felt good, especially down in the red zone where all of the balls are really tight and the windows are going to be small," Ward said. "I had to use my thumb on that one, so it felt good."

Monday's debut capped a nearly six-month layoff from football activities for Ward. The offseason included the lockout, his "Dancing with the Stars" championship and a DUI arrest in Georgia.

On the field, the only concern for Ward entering camp was the thumb. He tore a ligament in the second week of the season last year - "My thumb ended up touching my wrist; that's not a good thing," he said - but played through it with a splint and protective tape. Ward said he'll have it protected again this year, but that it already feels significantly better.

"It's much better than it felt last year," he said. "I didn't go many reps ... but (Monday) was a good starting point."

Ward spent the past week in camp tutoring the younger receivers, who are in desperate need of experience. Ward's been in the league 14 years, while Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown, and Emmanuel Sanders have a combined seven years of NFL experience."