Me? MVP? Ward is floored, but his catches made difference
DETROIT -- Pittsburgh receiver Hines Ward said he couldn't believe he was named Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XL, and for the life of me I don't know why.
In a 21-10 victory short of heroes, Ward made two of the three biggest plays for the Steelers -- one a 37-yard catch that set up their first touchdown and the second a game-clinching 43-yard scoring reception from receiver Antwaan Randle El.
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| Hines Ward joins Terry Bradshaw, Lynn Swann and Franco Harris as Steelers who have been named Super Bowl MVP. (Getty Images) |
Rewind the videotape, and you find Ward running from his left to the deep right side of the field as Randle El circled back to take a handoff from running back Willie Parker. It's a play that offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt said he had in the works for six weeks but never had the chance to dust off.
"The situation just never presented itself," he said.
It did here, with Randle El -- who caught a short screen pass only two plays earlier -- running to his right as if to turn the corner, then hurling the ball in stride to a streaking Ward. I think you know what happened next. The ball was perfectly thrown, Ward caught it and the Seahawks were cooked.
"It was an 'X-reverse pass,'" said Ward. "Antwaan and I switched positions, so he became the X and I was the deep guy. Antwaan, he's an athlete. And he threw a hell of a ball to me. I think that sealed the game for us."
It also sealed the award, the second consecutive year the MVP has gone to a wide receiver. A year ago it was New England's Deion Branch.
Like Branch, Ward exceeded 100 receiving yards -- he had 123 -- and led the Steelers in catches. But the key was that nearly every reception Ward made was significant: All five produced first downs, including that 37-yarder that led to Pittsburgh's only first-half touchdown and seemed to wake the Steelers from a deep funk.
On that reception, Ward rescued quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who seemed caught behind the line of scrimmage until he spotted his favorite receiver to his right. Throwing across the field, he launched a ball that could have been -- maybe should have been -- batted down, but Ward outmuscled Seattle's Michael Boulware at the 3.
It was Pittsburgh's biggest and best play of an otherwise dull first half, and it set up its first touchdown. The Steelers never trailed afterward.
"The great ones don't miss balls in the Super Bowl," said Ward. "And I want to be considered one of the greats. To be named MVP is a great honor, but I still left some plays out on the field. I could have had a better day."
Yeah? So could Roethlisberger. So could Troy Polamalu and Joey Porter. But it doesn't matter. The Steelers won, the Seahawks lost and Hines Ward has taken a long and winding road to making history.
Remember, it was Ward who boycotted the opening of training camp in a contract holdout -- returning only after coach Bill Cowher assured him things would work themselves out. Ward trusted his coach, unlike another receiver in the great state of Pennsylvania, and gained the contract extension he sought.
Then he went to work, not stopping until he cradled the touchdown catch from Randle El.
"It was a wild ride from the beginning of the season with contract negotiation," he said. "I wanted to finish my career with the Steelers. I might not be the flashiest, most flamboyant out there, but I get the job done for my team."
So we noticed. So did millions of viewers.
"I'm at a loss for words," said Ward. "I kept having to prove the naysayers wrong all year, but here I am playing in the Super Bowl. And for me to have my name mentioned among some of the MVPs that played in the Super Bowl ... words can't describe it. It's a dream come true."
