Hines Ward's the NFL's Dirtiest Player?

It's accurate to say that there aren't a whole lot of players around the league who like Hines Ward. When he's not going over the middle to catch passes, he's always looking to lay a hit on an unsuspecting defender. Heck, the NFL even passed a new rule after Ward broke linebacker Keith Rivers' jaw last year.

So it's no surprise to learn that Ward has been voted as the NFL's dirtiest player in a survey by Sports Illustrated, topping former teammate Joey Porter. With Rodney Harrison now retired, Ward was the obvious choice, which in some way is a badge of honor for the Steelers wideout. After all, how many receivers are tough enough and physical enough to be considered dirty?

It's worth noting that most of what Ward does to annoy defensive backs is completely legal. If he's downfield as a blocker, he's always looking to lay a crushing block on someone -- whether they see him coming or not. But players don't like it when they're running along minding their own business and find themselves looking out of their ear hole from the ground a second later.

"It's hard to sit there and tell everybody it's a violent sport but tone it down a little. When I go across the middle, those guys aren't going to tackle me softly and lay me down to the ground. That's not football. I find it ironic that now you see a receiver delivering blows, and it's an issue. But I haven't changed. I've been doing it this way for 11 years," Ward said.

He likes to block defensive ends with crackback blocks. He's happy to lower a shoulder after a catch as well. And he always does it with the same smile that's guaranteed to infuriate the guys tackling him. He's the kind of guy you love if he's on your team and hate if he's not.

But what's even more impressive is that Ward is a target for every linebacker and defensive back in the league who would like to get even for what Ward's done to them. But despite that, he's only missed seven games in his 12 year career.

Porter and Albert Haynesworth tied for second, Bengals safety Roy Williams, Titans center Kevin Mawae, Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan, Rams guard Richie Incognito, Falcons guard Harvey Dahl, Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and Vikings defensive end Jared Allen filled out the Top 10.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

11-04-2009 @ 2:09PM

I see you Padin said...

The sad thing is the refs let him off so much. I remeber in Super Bowl 40 when he had a huge thrid down a long catch when he just pushed over the DB 15 yards down the field, and that drive lead to a TD, and then there was the phantom PI call on Darrell Jackson in the endzone to begin the game. The guy is dirty, but the refs let him be.

11-04-2009 @ 8:21PM

soulsojourn72 said...

I see you Padin, you should learn the rules of football or get your eyes check. This is for Darrel Jackson did push off of Deshea Townsend to get separation to catch the pass. Pushing off of a defensive player to create separation to catch the ball is illegal. Hines Ward and whatever DB who was covering him both push off of each other and Hines did not do it to create sparation to catch the ball.
How about the bad calls against the Steelers? A huge one was when they ruled Jeremy Stevens did not catch the ball on a fumble. He took three steps before he fumble the ball. He made a football while having control of ball and then lost it. That would have been a turnover and a huge change in momentum in the game.
You really do not know football as a game. Hines Ward will be in the hall of fame for his stats and how he plays the games. Troy and Ben also have a good chance of being in the hall of fame also. All Ben does is win games and championships. Those are two important stats which the voters look at when considering a QB for hall of fame. Troy with how he can dominate a game will also have a great chance of being inducted.

11-04-2009 @ 2:20PM

slfpgh said...

blah,blah,blah. I love em. If he was on your team, you would love him too! Instead you have some wimpy receiver that shys away from hitting.

11-04-2009 @ 2:41PM

Steve said...

Hines is exactly what a football player should be. If tough is "dirty" then yeah, I guess he is the dirtiest player in the NFL.

11-04-2009 @ 3:47PM

azncuzin202 said...

As a Ravens fan, i'm going to have to admit that Hines Ward is not as dirty as most people make him as. Sure he shortened Keith Rivers's rookie season but besides that, most of the moves he does are legal. I believe that if Hines Ward played in the 60s 70s or the 80s, we would not be having this conversation if you look at the number of rule changes the NFL has implanted since then.

11-04-2009 @ 4:57PM

Jim said...

If Hines Ward played in the 60s, he would not have survived. But what the author failed to mention about Ward is not his hitting per se, but his hitting at the knees. It's legal, but recognized as cheap by league players. That should be outlawed. The other players hate the cheapos, whether legal or not. I've had more than one player tell me that.

11-04-2009 @ 5:41PM

dlm said...

the reason you don't think Hines is dirty is because you are a Ravens fan and they aren't pussy ass whimps like some of the other players in the NFL. They actually know how football should be played!

11-04-2009 @ 4:16PM

steelerh8er said...

Polamalu should be #1. Launching yourself at the knee's of your opponent is one of the dirtiest things that you could do, and he does it everytime he has to tackle someone in the open field. He should be banned from playing in a league where knee injuries are the most common career ending injuries.
Ok, now bring on the whinny steelers fans complaints!

11-04-2009 @ 5:13PM

jayr said...

you must be gay, right? you've taken up the pipe before. i've never seen a player taken off the field because troy went after his knee. ST2PID

11-04-2009 @ 4:40PM

darci said...

pretty sure the Steeler fans aren't the whiners. You don't hear US calling Ray Lewis dirty for his hit on Mendenhall that ended his 2008 season. It's football...Steeler hater maybe you should dress in a tutu and go watch some ballet.

11-04-2009 @ 4:47PM

Troy is a BEAST! Love having 3 (including the defensive player for the month of October) of the toughest players in the NFL on the Steelers.

11-04-2009 @ 5:08PM

mayberryguy said...

Ask any NFL coach or GM if they'd want him on their team. I think we all know what the answer would be. He just eclipsed 10,000 receiving yards, which is like 15,000 yds in that offense. HOF'er for sure.

11-04-2009 @ 5:22PM

Hines Ward will never be in the HOF, neither will Big Ben or Polamalu. No Steeler on the team right now has a shot. They are not talented enough, or in Big Ben's case smart enough. What is wrong with being a homosexual? This isn't the 1960's. Is Pittsburgh a city of ignorant people? Oh wait they like Hines Ward. Question anwsered.

11-04-2009 @ 9:23PM

dano said...

LOL SAY WHAT YOU WANT..I LOVE LIVING IN THE CITY OF CHAMPIONS---OH YEAH WERE GONNA WIN IT AGAIN THIS YEAR TOO----YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST

11-11-2009 @ 12:17PM

parsteelers said...

WTF

11-04-2009 @ 5:35PM

momof2 said...

Awe, Big Bad 205 pound WR taking on all those itty bitty linebackers. He should be ashamed of his dirty ass self. HAHAHA - and is it "I see you Padin, or I see the future Padin"? Since you can predict the future, can you please tell me what lottery numbers are gonna hit tomorrow?

11-04-2009 @ 7:08PM

hhomersimpson said...

Seriously, I love this. Write this down, you will never see another wide receiver ever in the #1 spot. Gotta be the toughest player in the game hands down. I know he hates this title, but that's what you'll get when everyone in the NFL fears you.

Troy dirty, classic. You need to tackle the knees/below, that's why he's up there with Ed Reed as the best in the game. Those two know how to hit, unlike uneducated people such as yourself. Maybe someone should tell him he should ask the other player to fall over, since you can't tackle high, can't tackle low, or else you have people crying. Anyone up for a game of touch football, cause that would be fun to watch these athletes make millions, and not risk injury. And with the the commish we currently have, it will happen.