Hines Ward fined unnecessarily for unnecessary roughness

It has recently come to light that Steelers’ wide receiver Hines Ward has been fined twice this season by the NFL — on two consecutive weeks, a total of $15,000 — for “unnecessary roughness,” in spite of the fact that he wasn’t penalized for such a rule violation in either of the two applicable games (Baltimore, at Jacksonville).

Lost in the afterglow of the win over Jacksonville is the fact that Ward was the catalyst for turning the momentum in Pittsburgh’s favor after the Steelers were dominated by the Jags for most of the game. Recall that it was Ward’s block on a Jaguars’ defensive lineman (I believe it was #95, Paul Spicer) that sparked the Steelers’ offense, as the six-foot-four, 295-pound Spicer was so infuriated by being pushed downfield by a diminutive wide receiver that he committed a personal foul against Ward in frustration. The penalty gave the Steelers a free 15 yards, a shining example of the kind of game-changing effort that Ward has demonstrated throughout his career.

In conjunction with the fact that Ward already holds most of the team’s key receiving records — ahead of Hall of Famers John Stallworth and Lynn Swann — it seems likely that Ward will one day receive serious consideration for the Hall of Fame.

Hines Ward: Hall of Fame worthy?

On January 21 WR Hines Ward was named one of four finalists for this year's Walter Payton Man of the Year award, which "recognizes community involvement and service, as well as on-field performance." As many Steelers' fans know, in 2006 Ward established a foundation that assists bi-racial children in South Korea (where racial discrimination is apparently endemic), and has earned considerable praise for his efforts.

The nomination inspired me to consider whether Ward is worthy of a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. When one considers his statistics, blocking ability, Super Bowl (SB) performance, and his "likability," I believe there's a good chance Ward will one day be elected to the Hall. A comparison to Steelers' Hall of Fame receivers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth is illustrative:

To begin with, Ward already holds all of the franchise's receiving records (720 career catches for 8,741 yards and 65 TDs). Of course, Swann and Stallworth played in a different era in which the ball was thrown far less frequently. On the other hand, until the arrival of Tommy Maddox and then Ben Roethlisberger in 2004, Ward had the misfortune of playing within run-oriented offenses led by subpar QB's like Kordell Stewart.

Meanwhile, Swann and Stallworth won four SB rings each compared to just one (thus far) for Ward, although Ward did capture a Super Bowl MVP award for SB XL, much like Swann did in SB X. To date Ward has been elected to four Pro Bowls (2002-05), while Swann and Stallworth earned three berths each.

However, it's Ward's well-deserved reputation for being a great blocker and his sunny disposition that may ultimately put him over the top. A few more solid seasons and another SB ring wouldn't hurt either.

Anyone care to weigh in with further thoughts on this topic?