Instead of returning for a 15th season with a different team, longtime Pittsburgh wide receiver Hines Ward opted to retire on Tuesday and secure a legacy unmatched in the franchise’s long history.
Ward holds every significant franchise receiving record, including receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. His 1,000 career catches rank eighth all time and he is one of two players with at least 1,000 receptions and two Super Bowl rings.
The decision comes three weeks after the 36-year-old was released by the Steelers in a salary cap maneuver. Ward says he was contacted by several clubs but never had any formal discussions. He insists there are no hard feelings for his release, understanding that football is a business.
The former third-round pick out of Georgia was due to make $4 million next season, an expensive option for a player whose role diminished significantly in 2011 when he finished with 46 receptions, the fewest since his rookie season in 1998.
He made four straight Pro Bowls from 2001-2004 and seemed to get better as he aged. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2006 Super Bowl after catching five passes for 123 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh’s 21-10 victory over Seattle, the franchise’s first championship in 26 years. The Steelers added a second title in 2009 to give them six, more than any other team in the league.
Information from SI.com and The Associated Press contributed to this report.