via The Herd on ESPN Radio... People argue he will be in the HOF... I think its a possibility.. Not sure though...
To me he's one of those players that will always be considered a cornerstone in that city but... HOF is iffy.. He was never a premier wide receiver. He was just really good, tough & reliable. Great career.
HOF's going to be a long shot. It's hard to get in as a WR if you weren't a dominant #1 for a long stretch. 6 seasons where he notched over 1000 yards, twice by the skin of his teeth, isn't going to cut it. In his absolute best year, he was #4 in the league. Fantastic team guy, terrifying with his blocking, but the Hall belongs to superstar #1s, and he falls a little short.
At WR stats and being premier don't seem as important as championships and being well liked. Good for him. He wouldn't look right wearing anything other than black and gold.
I liken Hines Ward to Paul Pierce. Very good but never a top player in their position for years, stuck with one team, and were major contributors for championship teams. Do you consider Paul Pierce a HOF player? For me, I think they both are. It's really rare to find a WR that stays with one team for 15 years, most of them as the #1 WR, and win a couple of Super Bowls. I also think there's something to be said about being widely considered the best blocking WR of all time.
Without looking at their career stats and how they compare to peers, I definitely put PP ahead of Hines Ward for HOF.
I'm not sure if I would vote for him. At any time, was he ever considered to be even remotely close to the best WR's in the game? He was always very good and probably in the 2nd tier. It might be one of those situations where he gets in 15 years after he was eligible and the voters look back on him in a different light.
To me, no way is Hines a HOF receiver. I can't really ever think of a time where his name would come up when you were even listing the top 3 or 5 receivers in any particular year. I think what his stats show are his consistency, and durability. If there was a Hall of Really, Really Good, he would be in there for sure.
I would as well. PP was the best player on a championship team and was a top 10 player in the league for a couple years. Hines Ward was never a dominant or elite player and never more than a borderline top 10 receiver in any year he played, nowhere close to one of the best players in the league. Lots of accomplishments and a career to be proud of but nowhere close to the HOF imo
If Jeff Bagwell or Craig Biggio can't get into the Hall of Fame, Hines Ward should not be considered. I know it's different sports and all, but still.
Judging Hines Ward by his receiving numbers is like judging Deion Sanders by his number of tackles. It wholly misses the point of why he was a great player. I think a better basketball comparison from the same franchise would be Dennis Johnson. An elite talent who didn't put up elite numbers because he did so many other things well that were necessary for a team to win. In my world, Hines Ward deserves the hall of fame much more than say Randy Moss.
That's a little extreme. Battier was never more than a great role player, and hasn't won a championship. Hines Ward was a star for a while in addition to being an great role player for two Super Bowl winning teams.
I think Hines Ward, would be in the ballot, but I dont know if he is that good. If Chris Carter cant be in the HOF, then Hines Ward shouldnt be in the HOF.
