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Hines Ward News & Rumors

The waiting game: Hines Ward puts ball is in Steelers' court
February 3
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Hines Ward talked to Mike Tomlin on Monday at the Steelers facility on the South Side and to team president Art Rooney II earlier, letting them know he wants to play in 2012 in Pittsburgh. "I just wanted to let them know I want to be here, I want to play," said Ward, who on Sunday will be part of NBC's five-hour Super Bowl pregame show. "I have two years on my contact. I know I have to restructure, but, under the circumstances, I think I can still play football.""
Ward, Dungy to be featured on mentoring TV show
February 3
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Picked on as a youth by other kids in Georgia because he is biracial, Hines Ward stands tall as someone who was able to overcome prejudice and bullying to find success. Now, he's trying to help others who find themselves in such circumstances as youngsters, and one in particular from Clairton has gotten a lift from Ward that has carried him into the world of music and television."
Steelers: Ward would be OK with pay cut
January 11
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Hines Ward wants to make a few things perfectly clear: He wants to play for the Steelers in 2012, but, if they do not want him, he still wants to play next season He just does not want to think about the second part of the equation at the moment. "It would be weird, not how I want it to happen," Ward said of playing for another team next season. "But I do want to play. I still think I can play. I'm not even thinking like that -- what if. If that scenario happens, I'll be devastated, but I do want to play football.""
Ward joins exclusive club
January 2
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"It was hardly the type of play — a shovel pass from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger that lost three yards — that will define Hines Ward's career. But the Steelers' Hall of Fame-bound receiver will happily take it. "It didn't matter, the minus-three yards," Ward said after his 1,000th career catch, just the eighth player in NFL history to reach the milestone. "It was the happiest minus catch that I ever had." A 35-year-old, 14-year veteran, Ward did it Sunday in the fourth quarter of the Steelers' 13-9 win at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Roethlisberger had no qualms about the modest nature of the catch, or who his target was going to be. "It's still such an awesome honor and I feel privileged"
Steelers' Ward is closing in on Heinz finale
December 23
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"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"
Ward says retirement not in game plan
December 23
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Hines Ward has no plans to retire after this season and said if he does not play for the Steelers in 2012 it will not be his choice. Ward has no special plans to take a moment to relish what could be his final game Saturday at Heinz Field in a dazzling, record-setting 14-year career. "I have two years left on my contract," Ward said, counting this one. "I'm not even thinking that this is my last one. If the organization decides to, I have no control over that. But, for me, I'm not even thinking this is my last game ever [at Heinz Field]. "I feel fine. I feel like I can play another year or two if I want to.""
Hines Ward reaches 12,000-yard milestone
December 5
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Hines Ward has seen his role in the Steelers offense diminish over the course of this season, but the 14-year veteran once again took center stage Sunday. Ward led the team with five catches totaling 30 yards in the win against Cincinnati. His second reception put him at 12,008 yards for his career. He is the first Steelers receiver to reach the mark and just the 19th player in NFL history. The catch that put him over 12,000 was, fittingly, a 12-yard pass over the middle. It's the kind of route that has defined Ward's time with the Steelers. " Mike [ Wallace ] was teasing me on the sidelines, saying 'Not bad for a lot of option routes and choice routes,'" Ward said. "That's a lot of"
Preparation of Steelers' Ward hasn't changed
December 1
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"The player most affected by the tectonic shift that took place the last time the Steelers played the Bengals is still saying all of the right things. The one thing Hines Ward couldn't say Wednesday afternoon is what his role will be Sunday when the Bengals visit Heinz Field. That question has become complicated for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the depth that the Steelers have at wide receiver and the exalted status that Ward has long enjoyed. The reality is that Ward has had to accept a reduced role since wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery told him three weeks ago that the Steelers wanted to get others more involved in the passing game. Ward played just nine snaps in"
Ward starts at WR, Sanders sees action
November 28
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"One game after he failed to start and played sparingly against the Cincinnati Bengals, veteran Hines Ward started the game as the lone wide receiver and played in several formations in the opening series against the Chiefs. He caught two passes for 5 yards. Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who missed two games after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee, returned against the Chiefs and played mostly as the third receiver instead of Jerricho Cotchery , who replaced Ward against the Bengals. Ward played mostly in two-wide receiver sets and as the fourth receiver in multiple-receiver formations. KC coach bled black and gold Todd Haley grew up in Pittsburgh as the son of former"
Hines Ward's status unlikely to change
November 23
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Hines Ward's reduced status does not look as though it will change any time soon, which begs this question: Are we watching the final games of the brilliant career of the Steelers most prolific and decorated receiver? That is, if the coaches see fit to play him. Coach Mike Tomlin demoted Ward from the starting job he had held since 1999 for the Nov. 13 game at Cincinnati. Then, Tomlin buried him a little deeper on the depth chart while he was at it, dropping Ward behind Jerricho Cotchery to No. 4 for that game. Ward caught one pass for 10 yards against the Bengals and played only a handful of downs. Antonio Brown, another bright light on a young receiving corps, started in place of Ward"
He says he's 'owed nothing,' but doesn't Hines Ward deserve a little more?
November 20
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"The Steelers coaches could have displayed better bedside manners when they benched Hines Ward last week. Maybe the coaching staff believes that veteran receiver Jerricho Cotchery, in his first season with the Steelers, can help the team more than Ward, in his 14th season with the Steelers. And maybe they are correct. Hines Ward himself said Tuesday that he is "owed nothing" by the coaches. But this someday Hall of Fame candidate deserved one thing -- more respect through a simple, quiet meeting with one of his coaches to tell him that his role had changed. This isn't some fly-by-night player here. This is the most decorated and productive receiver in Steelers history, a Super Bowl MVP and"
Steelers WR Ward ready to accept new role
November 16
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"Hines Ward didn't pout. He didn't question the limited number of plays he was on the field for Sunday. And he didn't wallpaper the Steelers locker room with his resume in case anyone has forgotten he is the most decorated receiver in Steelers history. If Ward has been supplanted by two wide receivers who are still behind him on the Steelers' depth chart, he is taking the demotion in stride. "It's not about me, it's about the team," said Ward, who watched much of the Steelers' 24-17 win in Cincinnati from the sidelines. "The bottom line is, we won the game." Ward did not start against the Bengals — Antonio Brown got the nod opposite Mike Wallace — and he had just one catch for 10 yards."
Disappearing Ward facing his biggest challenge yet
November 15
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 columnist Ron Cook
"In many ways, the Steelers game Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals was typical of the series. The Steelers made just enough plays and the Bengals just enough mistakes for the Steelers to win, 24-17. No one could have been surprised by the result, here or in Cincinnati. The Steelers are 10-1 at Paul Brown Stadium. But in one significant way, the win was unlike any other Steelers game. For the first time, future Hall of Famer Hines Ward wasn't a big part of the offense even though he was healthy. He played sparingly -- in just a few packages -- and had one catch for 10 yards, the only time quarterback Ben Roethlisberger targeted him. The Steelers coaches clearly believed the team had a"
Steelers WRs Ward, Cotchery set for Week 10
November 11
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"The Steelers' situation at receiver looks better Friday than it did earlier this week. Hines Ward and Jerricho Cotchery practiced Thursday and are expected both to play Sunday in Cincinnati. Ward was knocked out of last week's loss to the Baltimore Ravens with concussion-like symptoms. Cotchery didn't practice Wednesday because of a knee injury. "They're getting better, and it looks like they're going to make it," Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said. The Steelers don't have much margin for injury at the position. Emmanuel Sanders recently had minor knee surgery and is expected to miss two to three weeks. Arnaz Battle, the special teams captain, has yet to practice because of a"
Brown steps in with Ward out
October 31
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"The Steelers had to play an entire game without veteran receiver Hines Ward for the first time since the 2007 season, but the offense didn't miss a beat against the New England Patriots with Antonio Brown filling in. Brown, a second-year pro out of Central Michigan, set a career high in receptions for the second consecutive week in the Steelers' 25-17 victory at Heinz Field. One week after catching seven passes in a victory at Arizona, Brown caught nine passes against the Patriots. He was the main target for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger , who threw Brown's way a team-high 15 times. Brown had 67 yards and several key third down conversions on a day when Roethlisberger threw 50 times for"
Ward (ankle), Farrior (calf) won't suit up for Steelers in Week 8
October 30
NFL.com
 
"The Pittsburgh Steelers will be without wide receiver Hines Ward when they face the New England Patriots on Sunday, NFL Network's Albert Breer reports. Ward, who did not practice all week, was officially listed as questionable with a sprained ankle. He denied speculation that he was battling a high ankle sprain this week, pointing out that he was not using a walking boot. Nevertheless, the Steelers won't have their most dependable possession receiver in Week 8."
Steelers' Ward 50-50
October 29
Boston Globe
 
"The Steelers will likely be without veteran receiver Hines Ward for tomorrow's game against the Patriots because of an ankle injury. Though he is listed as questionable on the Steelers' injury report, Ward did not practice this week. Multiple reports out of Pittsburgh yesterday said it would be highly unlikely if he played. The Steelers did declare linebackers James Harrison (eye) and Jason Worilds (quadriceps), nose tackle Chris Hoke (neck), and guard Doug Legursky (toe) out. Linebacker James Farrior (calf) is questionable, though he practiced on a limited basis this week. For the Patriots, linebacker Dane Fletcher (thumb) was declared out, and cornerback Ras-I Dowling (hip) is doubtful."
Ward, Farrior questionable for Patriots game
October 29
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"The Steelers could be without receiver Hines Ward and linebacker James Farrior on Sunday against New England at Heinz Field. Ward didn't practice Friday because of a sore ankle, and Farrior (calf) was limited in practice. Both are questionable for the game. Nose tackle Chris Hoke (neck), guard Doug Legursky (toe) and linebackers James Harrison (eye) and Jason Worilds (quadriceps) are out. Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said Thursday he isn't counting out Ward, but he's confident there's enough depth to rest Ward if necessary. "I feel very comfortable with Jerricho (Cotchery) in his spot or Emmanuel (Sanders) splitting it," Arians said. "We have our fingers crossed that he will be ready"
Ward, Farrior questionable for Patriots game
October 28
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"The Steelers could be without receiver Hines Ward and linebacker James Farrior on Sunday against New England at Heinz Field. Ward didn't practice Friday because of a sore ankle, and Farrior (calf) was limited in practice. Both are questionable for the game. Nose tackle Chris Hoke (neck), guard Doug Legursky (toe) and linebackers James Harrison (eye) and Jason Worilds (quadriceps) are out."
Hines Ward misses practice again
October 28
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"Receiver Hines Ward missed practiced Thursday for the second straight day with a sore ankle. Emmanuel Sanders said he's the likely starter if Ward can't suit up against New England on Sunday. "If he can't go, I am the starter, but as of right now, we're going with (Ward)," said Sanders, who has scored twice on 13 catches this season. "I saw him running today. Things are looking good.""
Hines Ward on cusp of receiving milestone
October 17
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"Hines Ward could reach a milestone today if he goes over 100 yards receiving against the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars. Ward needs 108 receiving yards to became the 18th player in NFL history with 12,000 career receiving yards -- and only the third one with that many yards while playing for the same team. Marvin Harrison (Indianapolis) and Steve Largent (Seattle) are the only players to go over 12,000 yards receiving with one team. "It will be a great day whenever that day comes," Ward said. The veteran wide receiver had his best game of the season last Sunday, when he caught seven passes for 54 yards and two touchdowns."
Hines Ward on cusp of receiving milestone
October 16
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"Hines Ward could reach a milestone today if he goes over 100 yards receiving against the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars. Ward needs 108 receiving yards to became the 18th player in NFL history with 12,000 career receiving yards -- and only the third one with that many yards while playing for the same team. Marvin Harrison (Indianapolis) and Steve Largent (Seattle) are the only players to go over 12,000 yards receiving with one team. "It will be a great day whenever that day comes," Ward said."
Steelers' Ward says he'll know when it's time to step aside
October 16
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 columnist Ron Cook
"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"
Captain Ward says his unit must come to rescue of defense
October 6
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"The Steelers defense lies in tatters, torn apart by two opposing running backs, silenced in turnovers and sacks and now shattered by the loss of two of its best players. It is time, captain Hines Ward said, for his offense to turn the tables and carry the defense on its shoulders, starting Sunday against Tennessee. Time to pay back all those games their defense pulled out with dominating performances and timely turnovers."
Bernard Pollard has final word in spat with Hines Ward
September 15
Baltimore Sun
 
"Hines Ward, the Steelers receiver who has a history of late hits against the Ravens, got his comeuppance on Sunday in Baltimore. Not once, but twice. Early in the game, he tangled with Ravens safety Bernard Pollard and was rendered helpless. Later, he was hammered by linebacker Jarret Johnson after one of Ben Roethlisberger's interceptions. Pollard, new to the Ravens, had heard about Ward's questionable tactics. When Ward tried to take him down by the facemask on one play, Pollard latched onto Ward's helmet and drove him backward several yards. "Like I told him, I'm not 190 [pounds], I'm not 205," Pollard said. "I'm every bit of 225 and more, so you know [being physical] is just the way I"
Ward might be emergency QB for Steelers
September 9
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"The Steelers are contemplating whether to dress No. 3 quarterback Dennis Dixon for Sunday's game against Baltimore. If the Steelers choose to sit Dixon, their emergency quarterback behind Ben Roethlisberger and Charlie Batch will be receiver Hines Ward. Ward said he has taken snaps and practiced handoffs following recent practices and said Thursday that he will be ready if needed at quarterback against Baltimore. "I am just taking snaps just in case," said Ward, who last played quarterback in college. "We don't have an option right now. I can hand the ball off, but if it comes down to me, we are really in bad shape.""
E.Reed says he's glad Hines Ward wasn't suspended
September 8
Baltimore Sun
 
"Ravens free safety Ed Reed and Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward have made it clear that they're not the best of friends. In many contests involving their respective teams, Ward has delivered some teeth-rattling hits to Reed, who has accused Ward of searching for cheap shots. But about an hour prior to Wednesday's practice and four days prior to Sunday's season opener between the bitter AFC North opponents, Reed sympathized with Ward over his DUI arrest July 9 in his home state of Georgia and said he was glad that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell did not suspend Ward for Sunday's showdown."
Steelers' Ward nearing elite mark
September 6
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"Hines Ward has plans if he finds his way to the end zone Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium. "If I score," the Steelers wide receiver recently said with a smile, "I'll give a 'Dancing with the Stars' tribute." Ward has probably known for a while the specifics of the tribute he'll unleash if he drops six on the Ravens. The 14th-year veteran, after all, said in early August that he had started focusing on the Steelers' regular-season opener in Baltimore. The Steelers officially did the same once they set their 53-man roster last week. They literally open the season with a bang (of pads) when they visit the team that is expected to challenge them for superiority in the AFC North. Ward is one of the"
Ward wants to hit 1,000 in catches
August 17
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Walk into some clubs and discover the cream of the crop. The Duquesne Club, the 600 Home Run Club, the Playboy Club and the club with the half-Korean, half-African American knocking on its door to get in. They usually don't open doors and barriers for Hines Ward, he knocks them down. He has accomplished just about everything there is in football, with one personal goal left, to join a club that is among the most exclusive in sports. Only seven players in the history of the NFL have had 1,000 pass receptions in their careers. Hines Ward is poised to become the eighth. "That's like 3,000 hits, 600 home runs," said Ward. Not really because the NFL's 1,000 Catch Club is more exclusive than"
Steelers WR Ward can't wait to play Ravens
August 16
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"The Steelers break training camp Thursday, and if Hines Ward had his way they would leave St. Vincent College and head straight for Baltimore. "Preseason's good, but my mind is focusing on one team and that's Baltimore," the veteran wide receiver said. The Steelers open the regular season against the Ravens on Sept. 11. Ward is so excited about the renewal of arguably the best rivalry in the NFL that he watched the Ravens in their preseason opener last Thursday. Ward said he hasn't paid attention to additions the Ravens have made, such as wide receiver Lee Evans, running back Ricky Williams and All-Pro fullback Vonta Leach."
Ward focused on opener against Ravens
August 16
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward has one thing on his mind these days. Baltimore. "That's all I think about," he said. "The preseason is good but my mind is focused on one team, that's Baltimore." The Steelers open the season Sept. 11 against the Ravens in Baltimore. The two AFC North Division rivals have met in the postseason two of the past three years, and the Steelers won both games at Heinz Field on their way to the Super Bowl -- in the divisional round last season and in the AFC championship in the 2008 season. "They would schedule us in Baltimore for the first game," Ward said. "It'll be an exciting way to start the season off. It's a divisional game so it's very important for us."
Ward gives it thumbs up, way up
August 9
Beaver County Times
 
"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"
Ward dancing on routes again
August 9
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Receiver Hines Ward pulled on a new pair of shoes Monday and practiced football for the first time since February. "It's time to hang up the ballroom shoes and pull out the cleats," Ward said before he hit the field at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe. Ward opened his 14th training camp on the physically-unable-to-perform list after he had surgery on his left thumb in June to repair a ligament that he said was torn in the second game of the 2010 season. He delayed the surgery until after he won "Dancing With the Stars." He also had surgery on a knee right after the Super Bowl. "I'm excited to be back, get my feet wet and continue to go out there and make plays," said the most prolific"
Steelers' Ward to return to practice
August 8
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"The Steelers have gotten some good news on the injury front. Veteran wide receiver Hines Ward has passed his physical and is expected to practice today"
Veteran Ward eyes weekend for PUP removal
August 3
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward is targeting this weekend to be removed from the physically unable to perform list. Ward underwent thumb surgery June 1 to repair a ligament injury he suffered last season. Recovery time is usually two months. "My thumb is fine," Ward said. "It's precautionary. Mike Tomlin has always been known for keeping me out of crucial situations because he depends heavily on me during the regular season. It's Week 1." Ward said he was catching balls just last month and is confident he will be back on the field soon."
Steelers WR Ward could miss bulk of camp
July 30
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"Receiver Hines Ward's offseason thumb surgery could keep him on the Physically Unable to Perform list for an extended stretch of training camp. "The proper time of recovering from a thumb injury, I think I am a week or two away from that," Ward said Friday. He had thumb surgery June 1 to repair a ligament injury he suffered last season; recovery time is usually two months. Ward is not permitted to practice until his is removed from the PUP list. ? Tackle Tony Hills signed his exclusive rights free agent offer and will report to camp. He won't be able to practice until Thursday, the first day of the new NFL calendar. ? Running back Rashard Mendenhall declined to talk about tweets he made"
On the Steelers: Ward confident DUI situation 'will work out'
July 30
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Wide receiver Hines Ward built what some day could be a Hall of Fame career through discipline and dedication and he put more of that on display Friday. Not by playing football, though. Ward, speaking publicly for the first time since his DUI arrest July 9 in his home state of Georgia, said he put the case into his attorney's hands and believes there will be a favorable outcome for him. Asked many times by many reporters the same question, he stuck to the same answer. "I'm just leaving it in my attorney's hands," Ward said. "I can't really talk much about the situation because it's still under investigation and all that stuff. But I'm confident everything will work out at the end. That's"
Ward, Kemoeatu to open Steelers training camp on sidelines
July 29
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Starters Hines Ward and Chris Kemoeatu will open training camp with the Steelers on the sideline, placed on the physically unable to perform list until they overcome their injuries. Ward had surgery on a thumb that has not sufficiently healed and Kemoeatu has swelling in a knee. Also, coach Mike Tomlin today announced that five draft picks have been signed, leaving only two left -- first-round pick Cameron Heyward and third-rounder Curtis Brown. Signed to four-year contracts were Marcus Gilbert, Cortez Allen, Chris Carter, Keith Williams and Baron Batch. In other developments, the Steelers this evening came to contract terms with their remaining two priorities in free agents, offensive"
Rooney walks fine line on Harrision, Ward
July 26
Beaver County Times
 
"Steelers president Art Rooney II said it's too early to tell if Hines Ward and James Harrison will be punished for their controversial off-season matters. Ward, the Steelers' all-time leading receiver, was arrested July 9 while driving under the influence in Georgia. Harrison, an all-star linebacker who was fined four times last year for hits the league deemed flagrant, had to apologize for comments he made in the August edition of Men's Journal magazine. In that story, Harrison ripped into NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and criticized teammates Ben Roethlisberger and Rashard Mendenhall for their turnovers in the Steelers' loss to the Packers in Super Bowl XLV."
Ed Reed to Hines Ward: "You're a dirty player"
July 25
Baltimore Sun
 
"Ravens safety Ed Reed has publicly criticized the tactics of Hines Ward for years. Reed revealed last week that he's even criticized the Pittsburgh wide receiver to his face. "I love Hines as a player and I told him that," Reed said last week at his football camp. "But I told him also for a long time, 'You're a dirty player because I know how you play.'" Reed and Ward have led the charge when it comes to this physical AFC North rivalry. The two pulled each other to the ground on the Steelers' first offensive play in last year's playoffs. "Ed and I, we have our battles," Ward said after that playoff game in January. "No disrespect to Ed, he probably takes it personal. If Ed takes it"
Ravens' Rice stands by remarks about arrest of Steelers' Ward
July 19
Baltimore Sun
 
"Ravens running back Ray Rice said he never intended to disrespect Hines Ward when he commented about the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver's DUI arrest a week ago, but he still stands by his remarks. On Rice's Twitter account, he posted that Ward's drunken-driving charge was "not a good look" and predicted that he would be suspended for the season opener against the Ravens. "People look up to you, Hines," said Rice, who is hosting a football camp at Towson University this week. "You just were on TV with Dancing with the Stars. Ravens fans were upset that you won Dancing with the Stars but they still watched you. That shows your charisma and character. You've got a legacy in the NFL that no"
Hines Ward: Attorney will handle DUI
July 17
SportingNews.com
 
"Pittsburgh Steelers WR Hines Ward, who was arrested for DUI last weekend in Georgia, released a brief statement about the incident on his Facebook page. The MVP of Super Bowl XL and reigning Dancing With the Stars champ, Ward was booked into the DeKalb County jail in the early morning hours on July 9 before being released on $1,000 bond. "Fans—I appreciate all the love and support," Ward, 35, said in the statement. "Thank you! It means a lot to me. I have a great respect for the legal system and am leaving things in the hands of my attorney." With labor negotiations moving quickly to resolution, Ward also said he was excited about training camps apparently getting underway soon."
Ward uses Facebook to comment on DUI
July 15
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward made his first public comment regarding his DUI arrest in Georgia last weekend via his Facebook page this afternoon by saying that he is leaving the incident in the hands of his attorney. "Fans — I appreciate all the love and support," Ward posted. "Thank you! It means a lot to me. I have a great respect for the legal system and am leaving things in the hands of my attorney. I can't wait for football. I've been working out hard. I want to get back to the big show again this year. We have some unfinished business to take care of. So we will be ready to go when we are given the Green light. Here we go!" Ward was pulled over in DeKalb County, Ga., on Saturday"
Police: Ward failed sobriety tests
July 12
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"Weeks after Hines Ward's fancy footwork earned him the top spot on "Dancing With the Stars," the Steelers receiver couldn't walk a straight line in a field sobriety test for police outside Atlanta, a report released Monday states. Ward, 35, repeatedly failed to keep his balance, swayed back and forth, missed the heel-to-toe connection, turned improperly and had to use his arms for balance during a one-leg stand after police in DeKalb County, Georgia, pulled him over about 2:30 a.m. Saturday, according to the report. A portable breath test officers administered showed Ward's blood-alcohol content was .128 percent; the legal limit for driving in Georgia is .08 percent. Such tests are not"
Ga. police release details on Hines Ward's DUI arrest
July 12
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward had bloodshot eyes, stumbled through the alphabet, couldn't keep his balance and smelled strongly of alcohol when officers charged him with drunken driving in Atlanta on Saturday, according to a police report that offered new details into the early morning arrest. Mr. Ward failed a series of field sobriety tests administered by DeKalb County police Officer Robert Catalano, who wrote in the report that he "swayed back and forth and was getting agitated while conducting the evaluation." The field sobriety test also included a "one leg stand" and the "walk and turn" test. "Mr. Ward could not keep his balance and started before instructed several times," the"
Ravens-Steelers trash talk over Ward arrest
July 11
Baltimore Sun
 
"Although the Ravens-Steelers season opener is still two months ago (fingers crossed, of course), the emotions have already started to heat up. After hearing about Hines Ward's DUI arrest, Ravens running back Ray Rice posted this tweet about the Pittsburgh wide receiver: "Well it looks like Hines Ward will miss week 1 when the lockout ends DUI charge not a good look." Steelers safety Ryan Clark then responded on Twitter: "So glad you could Weigh in. Thx," Rice replied: "It's whatever u wanna do bro you know how to find me." Clark, who knocked out running back Willis McGahee in the AFC championship game in January 2009, mede it clear that he will find Rice."
Ward's fallen star?
July 11
Beaver County Times
 columnist Mark Madden
"Locally, Hines Ward's image will not suffer one bit in the wake of his arrest for DUI in Georgia early Saturday morning. Steelers Nation simply won't allow it. Ward's attorney says evidence will prove Ward was not impaired by alcohol. But Ward's car hit a curb. Ward flunked a field sobriety test. He reportedly refused to take a breathalyzer. What evidence could possibly be gathered after the fact? But Ward's attorney said it, and you'll believe it. The great unwashed is disappointed, certainly. But Ward's mouthpiece provided a straw to grasp at, and the citizens are lunging. You ignored alleged financial improprieties regarding Ward's South Side bar. You ignored Ward splitting from his"
Ward's image takes major hit
July 10
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 columnist Joe Starkey
"Georgia, TMZ and Steelers stars. What a terrible combination. Last offseason, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (dis)graced the cover of TMZ's website, sporting a Satan T-shirt during his ill-fated night on the town in Milledgeville. Saturday morning, it was receiver Hines Ward who grabbed the salacious site's top billing after a traffic stop in DeKalb County, about 90 miles from Milledgeville. Ward wasn't smiling in the photograph. Who smiles for a mug shot? The headline over the photo — "Hines Ward Busted for DUI" — might as well have read "Hines Ward's Image in Tatters." That doesn't mean Ward is guilty, of course, after he was held on $1,300 bond, posted it and was released. It just means"
Steelers' Ward arrested for DUI; apologizes to fans
July 10
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"Steelers receiver and "Dancing With the Stars" champion Hines Ward apologized to his fans Saturday after his arrest in Georgia on a drunken driving charge but insisted he did nothing wrong. The Super Bowl XL MVP was booked into the DeKalb County jail outside of Atlanta at 3:41 a.m. and charged with driving under the influence, said DeKalb Sheriff's Sgt. Adrion Bell. Ward was released at 6:30 a.m. after posting $1,300 bond, Bell said. Andy Ree, Ward's business manager, issued a statement on Ward's behalf saying Ward was "deeply saddened by this incident." "From our preliminary investigation, we can tell you that we are confident that the facts show Hines was not impaired by alcohol while"