Hines Ward to be released

It's a sad day in SteelTown.

 

This day comes for every player. What is frustrating to me is when people try to hang on too long to the past and become a liablity. Not saying Hines is a liabilty, but if he isn't capable of performing at a level that the team needs, then it is what it is. Time to move on.

 

wonder what their plan is when Wallace signs with someone else & Jerricho signs with someone else too. If I was Hines I'd tell them to suck it after this. How disgusting. I can't imagine how sick he must feel to be treated like this.

 

Understand that thought process for your common player, but it would be hard to convince me that Hines being on the roster would hurt our team. Players like Hines don't just come along everyday and if he puts on another jersey next year you know it will be tough to watch. The Steelers had a chance to do this the right way and seem to have dropped the ball. Maybe he will be resigned, but it doesn't sound like it.

 

A.) i'm surprised people are surprised by this. it was clear over a month ago that he wasn't going to be re-signed.

B.) i'm surprised everyone here isn't thrilled. this opens up a spot on the receiving depth chart for limas sweed. dare to dream, girls!!

 

Wow disgusting and heartless? You know most of us do not know what went on behind the scenes (and probably never will)...if they were just gonna flat out cut him without trying to work something out they would have announced something sooner than this...I have a gut feeling they tried to work something out. If you are a true Steelers fan you know the organization is not heartless/etc...you're just upset that a great long time player has come to the end of the road as a Steeler...it happens to them all, but no need to bad mouth the organization over something like this.

 

I'm not reading that anyone is really suprised. More of a disapointment. And Lol on Sweed. How about Plex or Holmes, maybe we can get them back? Lol

 

Nobody said it would hurt the team...but as a team strapped for cash you only have so many options...and like i said in my previous post...if they didnt try to work something out...it would have been announced a while ago that they were going to cut him. And saying the dropped the ball...again we do not know what goes on behind the scenes, we can only assume what happens. And like i said based on all the X factors i think they did try to work something out. The Steelers are not a team that says oh screw Hines we dont want him anymore and just cut him...you should know better than that.

 

Because he just doesnt like Wallace...simple as that Thigpen, haha.

 

It's just tough.

 

Watch Ward sign with the team that gets Wallace. That team would have the two receivers that started for us in the Super Bowl one year ago.

 

My favorite all time Steeler, but his time had come and I knew this was going to happen this year. With all the restructuring and cap issues trying to get young it was written in the wind. I don't feel bad for him though except it's kind of unceremonious. The guy won 2 superbowls with us and was the MVP of his first one. All time Steeler receiver, passed the 12k yards and 1K in catches mark etc...

Pretty GREAT career. Now, stick with the team as a coach of some order and win a few more.

If they release him to only bring him back later as some kind of cap move, even better!

I love you man. Thanks for all the great smiles and big hits and awesome catches!!!

 

he "could still be a serious threat in the middle of the field?" he wasn't even very good THIS season. why would he be better next season? he's lost a step, he's slower, he's less athletic, he hasn't made the catches these past two years that he's made in years' past . . . it's over. unless you know of some magic potion that'll get him back to vintage '04, ponce de leon.

 

guess you weren't alive to see franco suit up for the seahawks or webster at center for the chiefs. how about greg lloyd on the panthers? rod woodson . . . ?

be happy. we're cutting loose with a monster contract, opening up cap room, and improving our football TEAM.

 

I understand that business is business but this is still a sad day. Hate to see a guy who was the poster boy for being a Steeler get released. I'm just glad the organization worked to get him to 1,000 catches and 11,000 yards in black and gold. I hope he hangs them up because I don't want to see him in another uniform (please God don't let him land in Tennessee, Oakland, or the AFC North).

 

Agree 1000%. Yes this is a sad sad day for the Steelers and Hines, but a lot of great players with storied franchises have a hard time calling it quits. For example... Franco Harris, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Brett Favre, and many many more. I think this is the best for both the Steelers and Hines. Hopefully Hines agrees and hangs it up rather than tarnishing his career going to some other team for a year.

 

I agree. Who knows what has transpired between Hines, his agent, and the FO. I tend to agree with gpguy that they must have been trying to work something out, otherwise the news may have come sooner. I had hoped Hines would have retired based on him being essentially phased out of the O and the concussions. Maybe Hines didn't want to do that or take a pay cut. Who knows, but the glory days for Hines are long gone and based on this team's needs, he just apparently doesn't fit into the plan. It is sad, but inevitable.

 

There was simply no choice. It's not a cap/money issue. It is an issue of roster spots. You simply can't have a player at the 4th or 5th receiver spot that won't be contributing at all on Special Teams.

We all love and will miss Ward, but this whole "disgusting/heartless" thing is way off base.

 

I don't even know what to say here. I guess he won't be the "Bettis" of 2012-2013.

 

Sad day, but I agree not a surprise. Fans loved him. Was he really happy as a 4th string receiver. Hard to justify that salary when he's on the bench most of last season. I noticed he didn't seem to smile as much when he was on the field.
Good Luck to Hines.

 

I'm buying his jersey to put on my wall with the rest of my "jersey hall of fame". Sad day but it's the steelers way.

Joey Porter, Clark Haggans, Kevin Greene, Greg Lloyd, Hardy Nickerson, Rod Woodson, Alan Fanceca, Franco Harris, Kendrell Bell, Deshea Townsend.....

 

Had a feeling it was coming, but was still hoping it wouldn`t happen. raying:
Feels like I been punched in the gut.
I just don`t believe that he still can`t perform well enough to warrant a spot on the field.
I remember him jumping over a defender to get in the endzone early in this last season...
He still seems to have the desire, and there is NO WAY you can question his toughness...
This just sux, `cause I know another team will be happy to have him, and I am gonna HATE to see him in another uniform.
I hope to God it`s not the Clowns, as bad as they need recievers, but it doesn`t really matter...
He doesn`t belong in ANY other uni.
Yes I saw our past players retire with other teams, and I didn`t like it then, either...
Just because it`s the way it is, doesn`t mean I have to like it!
Accept it, maybe...
But for damn sure, NOT be happy about it...
Best of luck to ya, personally, Hines.... You the MAN, and hopefully have showed the younginz how the game is SUPPOSED to be played, but I doubt it...
I think our recievers get much softer, egotistical, without you here to keep em in check...
Gonna miss ya!!!

 

It's all about the money. I bet we re-sign at the vet minimum.

 

relax folks! He'll resign with the team. This saves money by doing it this way.

Or, he'll end up in Arizona.

 

That one was especially heart breaking :-( I love Hines and I'll continue to wear his jersey proud but it's time for him to move on, as painful as that is for me to say.