Pittsburgh Steelers confirm parting ways with receiver Hines Ward after 14 years-NFL News
The 14-year long football career of Pittsburgh Steelers’ wide receiver, Hines Ward, has ended against the wishes of the player as the team confirms his release in a couple of weeks.
Ward has recently been making headlines over the possible departure from Steelers and in spite of the team’s denial of all the reports, they have cut him loose, finally.
His waiver is confirmed by no other than the team’s president, Art Rooney II, who is already a subject of criticism over the alleged influence on the controversial retirement of the offensive co-ordinator, Bruce Arians.
Rooney said:
"We had a conversation today with Hines Ward and informed him that we plan to release him of his contract prior to the start of the 2012 NFL calendar year."
The player is most likely to leave the headquarters in few weeks time, drawing curtains on the prolonged stay with the team.
Hines joined Steelers in 1998 and has continuously played. The team has acknowledged the contribution he made towards development of the franchise during all these years.
Steelers’ president said:
"Hines has been an integral part of our success since we drafted him in 1998, and we will forever be grateful for what he has helped us achieve."
Although, Ward confirmed the release, he apparently looked unhappy over the choice of his team to let him go at this time of his career, which he, according to his recent statements, wanted to extend for few more years.
Ward said:
"This isn't how I wanted this chapter of my career to end. I did everything in my power to remain a Steeler and finish what I started here 14 years ago."
Hines is the second receiver to have been released by Steelers last month as the team looks to consolidate the players’ salaries expense, which remains well above the cap.
The austerity drive launched by the management was weighed to be targeting some of the highest paid Steelers veterans. Ward was prone to the hammering probably more than any of his colleagues.
Some sections of sports news organisations claimed a couple of weeks ago that the team had reached the decision of cutting Ward.
The player reacted strongly to the reports and showed his desperation for getting extension to the stay for few more seasons.
Now, that possibility being over, the player looks up on the free agency as his next destination on expiry of the trade deadline of March 13, 2012.
It is more likely that Hines Ward will face difficulties in attracting new suitor at this time of his career. No matter, he has an impressive record, there could only be few managers willing to bet on an old horse.
He has certainly not made his mind about the retirement.
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