RICHMOND, Va. -- Almost a decade into creating Cartoon Canon strips, I can't believe it's taken me this long to focus of the great Hines Ward, probably my favorite player from those 2000s teams, second only, perhaps, to Troy Polamalu. That one of his his best days in a Steeler uniform nonetheless resulted in a loss to the Falcons does little to diminish his effort on that day in 2006, just one of many frustrating losses in a confounding title defense season.
Ward was recently named as a finalist for the 2025 class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and while people smarter than me assert that his chances of making the final round are slim, he's got my vote. The MVP of Super Bowl XL, nobody played with more toughness and heart... and that smile was absolutely infectious!
ROB ULLMAN / DKPS
For prints and books, including my new comic book 1919: An Old-Timey Hockey Tales Story, visit my site and/or the DK Pittsburgh Sports HQ/shop at 224 Fifth Avenue, Downtown!
