By Teresa Varley
Steelers.com
Wide receiver Hines Ward longest reception in the win over the Cleveland
Browns on Sunday night was when he pulled in a 51-yard touchdown reception from
Antwaan Randle El in the third quarter.
The touchdown came on a reverse when Randle El took the handoff from Duce
Staley and then fired it Ward down the right sideline.
“We knew it was going to go for a
touchdown,” said Ward. “All week,
that’s all we kept saying. I told
Antwaan to just throw it up and let me run up under it. He did a great job, and threw an
excellent ball. Once I caught it, I
dove in – it was a special play.”
But there was another special play for Ward and it made history. In the
second quarter Ward caught a 15-yard pass from Charlie Batch to become the
Steelers all-time leader receiver.
Ward passed Hall of Fame wide receiver John Stallworth with the
reception, his 538th of his career.
“It meant so much for me personally, because considering everything that
I’ve been through, like being a third-round pick, overcoming two first-rounders
drafted in front of me, playing on a predominantly run-oriented team, having all
the nay-sayers doubt me – saying I’m not this tall, or I’m not this fast,” said
Ward. “I kept working my tail off to put myself in this position. But I never would’ve thought of me
breaking the record, especially in only my eighth year.
“Doing this In front of my family, my fans, on national TV, against the
Cleveland Browns – it’s always good when you can beat Cleveland. The whole city seems to run well on
Monday. This was the way I wanted it – win, get the
record – it was a perfect night."
Ward, who was the last player out of the locker room after rounds of
media interviews, is happy to be a part of Steelers receiving history that
includes some pretty impressive players before him.
“Just having my name mentioned with
(Lynn) Swann and Stallworth – these guys
are Hall of Famers that I respected,” said Ward. “There’s always going to be comparisons
between me and Swann and Stallworth, but for me, I don’t really care for
comparisons. I just want to be in the same class. And when you mention those guys, you
think of true class off the field, so just having my name mentioned with those
guys is a big honor. So when you
think Pittsburgh receivers, you
think Swann and Stallworth and now you add Hines to that list – so it’s a great
night.”
Ward finished the night with eight receptions for 124
yards.
NOTES: Steelers linebackers honored head coach Bill Cowher last
night by wearing throwback No. 53 Cleveland Browns jerseys, Cowher’s number when
he played linebacker for the Browns.
Team Pass members can
watch Hines Ward give his Press-Conference follwing his historic night at Heinz
Field.
