PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – He is one of seven semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame who were also star wide receivers in the NFL. Mike Tomlin though has something that separates Hines Ward from the others.
“Hines was a football player first and a receiver second,” said the Steelers head coach. “I used to say that about him all the time about the ridiculous consistency of his toughness.”
Such a big fan of his toughness, that when bringing up a comparable, Tomlin used Hall of Fame safety John Lynch. Tomlin coaches both guys, Lynch with Tampa Bay, and he said stats don’t tell their stories.
Lynch is 71th in the NFL history in total tackles, a stat that has only officially been kept since 1994, so this list is without the big names from the 1980s and earlier. Lynch had fewer career tackles than Steelers Lawrence Timmons and Chad Brown, isn’t in the top 300 in interceptions, yet there was something about Lynch that made him a Hall of Famer.
Ward actually has more impressive stats than Lynch, 14th in career receptions with 1,000, 19th in receiving touchdowns (85) and 27th in yards (12,083). Nothing that tells you immediately he should be in with the others, but Tomlin says it’s more than that.
“Ask the men that played football against them of that generation,” Tomlin said Tuesday. “Their impact on the game and how the game is played. In some instances, how the game is officiated.”
It’s the eight opportunity for Ward to be a semifinalist and will go up against receivers-Reggie Wayne, Torry Holt, Andre Johnson, Steve Smith, Anquan Boldin and first-year tight end Antonio Gates, who is likely a lock.
“He is well deserving of consideration and I hope it happens for him this time,” Tomlin said.