Mike Tomlin sends a clear message to the Pro Football Hall of Fame regarding recent nomination of former Steelers WR Hines Ward
Mike Tomlin wants Hines Ward in the Hall of Fame more than anyone.
A 4x Pro Bowler, 3x first team All-Pro, and 2x Super Bowl champion, it’s not a stretch to say that Hines Ward is one of the greatest players to ever put on a uniform for the Pittsburgh Steelers. And that was further proven on Tuesday.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame released its list of 26 semifinalists for induction into Canton in 2026. So while he needs no support from Mike Tomlin given his resume, Ward’s former head coach wasn’t afraid to campaign for his enshrinement.
Mike Tomlin makes the case for Hines Ward to join the Hall of Fame
“Numbers do not tell his story, although his numbers are special. They are. I think that’s a guy with a thousand or so career catches,” said Tomlin during his weekly address via the Steelers YouTube channel. “But, man, if you were around him, if you were in stadiums with him, if you were a member of his team or an opposing player, you understood what playing with and against Hines Ward was about.
“He was a football player first, a wide receiver second, to be quite honest with you, He was an offensive perimeter bully, and I say that in a complimentary way. To me, he’s a legendary player in his generation because of the weight that he played, the amount of respect that he carried. When he didn’t have the ball in his hands, when it wasn’t even a pass, is stuff of legend.”
Ward was a one-of-a-kind of player. Never the biggest nor the fastest, he defied logic with a lot of the plays he made. He was someone who had football speed. Meaning when the ball was in his hands, he could hit another gear. He ran routes over the middle without fear, in an era when you could get tattooed and it was championed.
Oh, and he was just as willing to do all the dirty work in the run game. He would stick his nose in the middle of the defense and dig out safeties and linebackers. He did all of that in an effort to lead the team to victory, which evidenced by the two rings on his fingers, he did a great job of.
It won’t be easy given the names on that list in the WR section, but it’s hard to argue that there is a pound-for-pound wide receiver who is a better selection in 2026.
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