Former Pittsburgh Steelers WR Hines Ward and OLB James Harrison were not named among the 15 finalists for Pro Football Hall of Fame induction. The Hall of Fame announced the finalists this morning, and Ward and Harrison failed to make the lists.
The 15 finalists are outlined below as shared by CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones.
Ward and Harrison were among the 10 players who made the semi-finalists list cut from the finalists. It was the ninth time Ward was named a semi-finalist and the third time for Harrison, but neither has moved onto the finalist stage since being eligible for induction.
Notable names who did make the final 15 include OG Marshal Yanda, EDGE Terrell Suggs, and QB Eli Manning.
Ward was one of five receivers who were semi-finalists, along with Steve Smith Sr., Anquan Boldin, Torry Holt, and Reggie Wayne. Of those, Smith, Holt, and Wayne moved onto the finalist stage. The induction class will be announced during NFL Honors in February.
For his career, Ward caught 1,000 passes for 12,083 yards and 85 touchdowns and was also the Super Bowl XL MVP. Holt and Wayne also made it to the finalist stage last season, but neither was inducted into the Class of 2024.
Ward was a four-time Pro Bowler and twice a second-team All-Pro. In addition to his success in catching the football, Ward will be remembered as one of the best blocking receivers of all time and certainly the best of his era. He excelled as a blocker when football was still more of a run-heavy league, and that ability led to a lot of success on the ground for the Steelers.
He also caught a touchdown pass in Super Bowl XL, a 43-yard touchdown score from WR Antwaan Randle-El, which was crucial in helping the Steelers win their fifth Lombardi Trophy with a 21-10 win over the Seattle Seahawks.
Like Ward, Harrison also had a defining Super Bowl moment, taking back an interception 100 yards for a touchdown before halftime in Super Bowl XLIII. Ward was also a member of that team that won Super Bowl XLIII.
He retired as Pittsburgh’s career sack leader with 84 (although he’s since been overtaken by T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward), won Defensive Player of the Year in 2008, and made two first-team All-Pro teams.
In addition to his Defensive Player of the Year award and All-Pro appearances, Harrison was also a Pro Bowler for five straight years from 2007-2011 and received MVP votes in 2008.
With this now being the fourth time Harrison has missed out on being a finalist and Ward’s ninth time, their chances of being inducted are dwindling. There’s still a chance that one or both of them could get in, but their odds are getting lower and lower. Their best bet might be getting inducted down the line by the Seniors Blue-Ribbon Committee.
