Hines Ward

Hines Ward

Hines Edward Ward Jr. was born in Seoul, South Korea, to a Korean mother and African-American father. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft. Ward played his entire professional career for the Steelers and he became the team’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yardage and touchdown receptions. In 2019, Ward began his coaching career as an offensive assistant with the New York Jets.

About Hines Ward in brief

Summary Hines WardHines Edward Ward Jr. was born in Seoul, South Korea, to a Korean mother and African-American father. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft. Ward played his entire professional career for the Steelers and he became the team’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yardage and touchdown receptions. 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. He has appeared in various forms of film and television media, including the reality TV series Dancing With The Stars and brief cameos in the 2012 film The Dark Knight Rises and in the television series The Walking Dead. Ward joined CNN and HLN in May 2016. In 2019, Ward began his coaching career as an offensive assistant with the New York Jets. Ward has stated that he has yet to reconcile with his father who left Hines Jr. when he was two years old. Ward is an advocate for the social acceptance of foreigners in Korea, especially blended or mixed race youth. He is also the player relations executive of the Alliance of American Football. He also played quarterback and was two-time Clayton County Offensive Player of the Year at Forest Park High School in Forest Park, Georgia. Ward also excelled in baseball and was selected by the Florida Marlins in the 73rd round of the 1994 MLB Draft. As a wide receiver for the University of Georgia Bulldogs, Ward’s 149 career receptions for 1,965 yards placed him second in team history.

He totaled 3,870 all-purpose yards, second only to Herschel Walker in Bulldogs history. When he came out of college, it was discovered that Ward was missing an anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, which he lost during a bicycle accident during childhood. He 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. Despite his performance at the quarterback position as a Sophomore, Ward primarily played receiver his final two years of college play only attempting a handful of passes during those seasons. On July 20, 1998, the Steelers signed him to a three-year, USD 8,85,000 contract. The Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts expressed major interest in him multiple times to be selected at the end of the first round or beginning of the second. After it was revealed Ward did not have an ACL in one of his legs, his value dropped and he chose to play in his first game on September 6, 1998. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacquez Greenon and Jerome Pathon, both wide receivers, instead, chose to draft Ward instead, instead of Jerome Greenon. The Steelers signed Ward to a 3,000-year contract on September 8, 1998,. Ward caught a 12-yard pass from Kordell Stewart from 20,000 yards from the Baltimore Ravens, and also ran 26 times for 170 yards. Ward’s father, Hines Ward Sr, did not support Ward with child support or visit him regularly.