77 Facts About Hines Ward

Hines Ward played college football at the University of Georgia and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft.

Hines Ward was voted MVP of Super Bowl XL and upon retirement was one of eleven NFL players to have at least 1,000 career receptions.

Hines Ward is often regarded as one of the best wide receivers of the 2000s, as well as one of key figures for the Steelers' success during the 2000s.

Hines Ward was a studio analyst for NBC's Football Night in America from 2012 to 2015.

Hines Ward was the player relations executive of the Alliance of American Football.

In 2019, Hines Ward began his coaching career as an offensive assistant for the New York Jets, working with wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson.

In 2021, Hines Ward was hired by Florida Atlantic as special assistant to the head coach.

Hines Ward has become an advocate for the social acceptance of foreigners in Korea, especially blended or mixed race youth.

Hines Ward's family moved to Atlanta and East Point, Georgia, when Hines Jr.

At the age of 7, Hines Ward was reunited with his mother.

Hines Ward has stated that he talks with his father about once every two years.

Under the guidance of coach Mike Parris at Forest Park High School in Forest Park, Georgia, Hines Ward showcased his athletic skills as a quarterback and was two-time Clayton County Offensive Player of the Year.

Hines Ward excelled in baseball and was selected by the Florida Marlins in the 73rd round of the 1994 MLB Draft.

Hines Ward played tailback and totaled 3,870 all-purpose yards, second only to Herschel Walker in Bulldogs history.

In 1996, Hines Ward had 52 receptions for 900 yards, and ran 26 times for 170 yards.

Hines Ward played some quarterback his sophomore year, and holds Georgia bowl game records for pass attempts, pass completions, and passing yards in the 1995 Peach Bowl in which he completed 31 of 59 passes for 413 yards.

When he came out of college, it was discovered that Hines Ward was missing an anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, which he lost during a bicycle accident during childhood.

Hines Ward was projected to be selected at the end of the first round or beginning of the second.

Hines Ward was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft.

Hines Ward began his rookie season as the fourth receiver on the Steelers' depth chart.

Hines Ward played in his first career game on September 6,1998, against the Baltimore Ravens, catching a 12-yard pass from Kordell Stewart.

Hines Ward began the season as the starting wide receiver in the season opener against the Cleveland Browns.

Hines Ward caught his first career touchdown from Mike Tomczak and finished the game with a total of 3 catches for 51 yards.

Hines Ward finished his second season with 61 catches, 638 receiving yards, and 7 touchdowns in 16 games and 14 starts.

Hines Ward began his third season with Pittsburgh, making 2 receptions for 20 yards in the Steelers' home opener against the Baltimore Ravens.

On September 8,2001, Hines Ward was signed to a four-year, $9.5 million contract extension.

On December 9,2001, against the New York Jets, Hines Ward accumulated a season-high 10 catches for 124 receiving yards.

Hines Ward finished his fifth season with 1,329 receiving yards, 112 receptions, and 12 touchdown receptions, all career-highs.

On November 30,2003, Hines Ward caught a career-high 13 passes for 149 receiving yards and a touchdown in a loss to the Bengals.

Hines Ward was voted, along with Faneca, to his third consecutive Pro Bowl.

Hines Ward finished the season having caught 80 passes for 1,004 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns.

In 2005, Hines Ward missed the first two weeks of training camp in a holdout for a contract extension that would increase his salary.

Hines Ward had considered holding out before camp in 2004, but had been persuaded after meeting with the Steelers' owner Dan Rooney and Jerome Bettis.

Hines Ward was told they could work out an extension during the year and he'd be paid fairly.

The next week, Hines Ward had 4 catches for 110 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns, including an 85-yard touchdown reception, against the Patriots.

On November 13,2005, Hines Ward became the Steelers' all-time leading receiver with his 538th catch against the Browns on ESPN Sunday Night Football surpassing John Stallworth's record.

In Week 13 against the Bengals, Hines Ward hauled in a season-high 9 receptions for 135 receiving yards and 2 touchdown receptions.

Hines Ward finished the Steelers playoff victory over Cincinnati with only 2 catches for 10 yards, and scored a 5-yard touchdown.

On February 5,2006, Hines Ward played in his first career Super Bowl.

Hines Ward finished his ninth season with 71 receptions, 732 receiving yards, and 7 touchdowns.

The next week on December 28,2008, Hines Ward caught his 800th NFL reception, extending his record for receptions by a Steelers receiver.

Also in this game, Hines Ward achieved his first 1000-yard season since 2004, finishing with 81 receptions for 1043 yards and 7 touchdowns on the year.

Hines Ward played the game with a sprained right MCL.

Hines Ward completed the season with 81 receptions, 1,043 receiving yards, and 7 touchdown receptions.

Hines Ward caught 108 yards worth of passes in that game to pass Hall of Fame Steelers receiver John Stallworth for the most 100-yard receiving games all-time for the Steelers with his 26th.

On February 6,2011, Hines Ward appeared in his third Super Bowl with the Steelers against the Green Bay Packers.

Hines Ward finished the 2010 season with 59 receptions, 755 receiving yards, and 5 receiving touchdowns.

Hines Ward had not had a season below 60 catches since 2000.

Hines Ward began the 2011 NFL season, making 5 receptions for 67 yards in the Steelers' season opener against the Ravens.

On January 1,2012, in a game against the Cleveland Browns, Hines Ward caught his 1000th reception, becoming the eighth player in NFL history to do so.

Hines Ward caught his last career reception during the game.

Hines Ward finished his last season with a total of 46 receptions, 381 receiving yards, and only 2 touchdowns in 15 games and 9 starts.

At the time of his retirement, Hines Ward was the last remaining player from the Steelers to have played with the team during the 1990s.

Hines Ward accumulated 76 receptions, 1,064 yards, and eight receiving touchdowns in 14 post-season appearances.

Hines Ward was a four-time NFL Pro Bowl selection.

Hines Ward was not penalized for this block, nor was he fined by the league as the hit was deemed legal.

The so-called "Hines Ward Rule" made a blindside block illegal if the block came from the blocker's helmet, forearm or shoulder and lands to the head or neck area of a defender.

In September 2019, Hines Ward began his coaching career and was hired by the New York Jets as a full-time offensive assistant.

Hines Ward was later promoted to the position of wide receivers coach.

In June 2021, Hines Ward was announced as one of the eight XFL Head Coaches.

Hines Ward was announced as Head Coach of the San Antonio Brahmas in July 2022 when Team Locations were revealed.

Hines Ward has a son and two daughters from previous relationships.

Hines Ward co-owned a bar in Pittsburgh's South Side called The Locker Room.

Hines Ward filed suit for the return of the money, and Lettieri subsequently justified his actions by claiming that the money was owed to him, voicing the belief that the other co-owners, Ward and Kimberly Pitts, as well as Pitts' husband, Korry Pitts, had falsified invoices and diverted company funds to their own bank accounts.

The Locker Room reopened under the name South Side 86, and is owned entirely by Hines Ward, who bought out his co-owners.

In 2012, shortly after announcing his retirement, it was announced that Hines Ward had signed on with NBC Sports to be a football analyst, highlighted by his role on the Sunday Night Football pregame show Football Night in America.

Hines Ward opened a restaurant called Table 86 and a wine bar named Vines in Seven Fields with Howard A Shiller from Fort Lauderdale in August 2015.

In 2006, Hines Ward became the first Korean American to win the Super Bowl MVP award.

From April 3 through May 30,2006, Hines Ward returned to his birthplace of Seoul for the first time since his parents moved to the United States when he was one year old.

Hines Ward used his celebrity status to arrange "hope-sharing" meetings with multiracial Korean children and to encourage social and political reform.

On July 9,2011, Hines Ward was arrested for driving under the influence in DeKalb County, Georgia, after being witnessed by a MARTA police officer failing to maintain his lane and subsequently hitting a curb.

Hines Ward agreed to plead guilty to reckless driving and received a sentence of one year of probation, 80 hours of community service and a $2,000 fine.

Hines Ward made an appearance as a member of the fictional Gotham Rogues football team in the 2012 film The Dark Knight Rises, and was one of the members of "Team Rachael" in the second season of Food Network's Rachael vs Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off.

Hines Ward appeared in the ninth episode of the third season of The Walking Dead, appearing as a walker.

In 2012, Hines Ward began training for the 2013 Ironman World Championships, enlisting the help of triathlon legend Paula Newby-Fraser.

On October 12,2013, Hines Ward completed the Ironman World Championships.

Hines Ward was named an honorary ambassador for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.