30 biggest Hall of Fame snubs in NFL history

18. Hines Ward

Ward played in a boom period for wide receivers. While he was never as talented as the likes of Chad Johnson, Steve Smith, or Marvin Harrison, he was the focal point of the Steelers air attack for a decade, and put up solid numbers in his own right.

Ward made his first Pro Bowl in 2001. He caught 94 passes for 1,003 yards and four touchdowns for the Steelers that season, and Pittsburgh made it to the AFC Championship Game. He would repeat as a Pro Bowler in 2002 with 112 catches for over 1,300 yards and 12 touchdowns as Pittsburgh made it back to the playoffs.

Even in a down year for the Steelers in 2003, Ward was a Pro Bowler once again, and parlayed that success into a fourth straight Pro Bowl in 2004 with Ben Roethlisberger under center. In 2005, Pittsburgh won the Super Bowl, and Ward caught the game-sealing touchdown on a reverse pass from Antwaan Randle El.

Ward helped Pittsburgh win another Super Bowl in 2008, and he retired with exactly 1,000 catches for over 12,000 yards and 85 touchdowns in his career. He wasn’t flashy, but he could do all the things the Steelers needed, including block better than any receiver.