25 best NFL players of all time from the SEC
By John Buhler
Hines Ward
Wide Receiver, Georgia Bulldogs
It’s been 20 years since he last played a college game, but we’re starting to look back on the late 1990s Georgia Bulldogs and wonder why they weren’t better. There looks to be three future Pro Football Hall of Famers in that era of Bulldogs football. The first guy we’ll talk about on this list is wide receiver, Hines Ward.
Ward played all 14 years of his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers (1998-2011). He won two Super Bowls in Pittsburgh and made five Pro Bowls as a star receiver. Ward had exactly 1,000 career receptions for 12,083 yards and 85 touchdowns.
While he wasn’t the flashiest wideout of his day, Ward fit into the blue-collar style associated with Steelers football perfectly. He was a model of consistency and showed up big time when the Steelers needed him most. Ward was Super Bowl XL MVP back in the 2005 NFL season versus the Seattle Seahawks.
He has successfully transitioned to television, working for NBC on their Sunday Night Football telecasts. Ward may get into coaching at some point. One would think he would consider going back to his alma mater to help his former college teammate Kirby Smart out. For now, Ward is one of the best wide receivers in Steelers and Georgia football history.