Hines Ward was a rare type of receiver. Not the biggest, not the most athletic, the guy didn’t even have ACLs. But few played the game like him. Every Steelers’ fan knows this. And in his rookie year, Troy Polamalu found out the hard way.
In an incredible Hall of Fame speech Saturday, Polamalu recounted his first padded practice as a Steeler. And an unforgettable encounter with Hines Ward.
“My first real introduction to the NFL was that our first full padded of practice when Hines Ward and I hit,” Polamalu shared. “Listen, it was my legs that subsequently buckled.