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117-606: Both teams are members of the American Football Conference North (AFC North) division (formerly the AFC Central). Since the Ravens' inception in 1996, they have played at least twice a year, often for divisional supremacy. Both teams are known for fielding tough, hard-hitting defensive squads, giving their games an extra element of physical intensity. The Steelers and Ravens are the sole teams in

234-867: A quarterback and was two-time Clayton County Offensive Player of the Year. He also excelled in baseball and was selected by the Florida Marlins in the 73rd round (1,646th overall) of the 1994 MLB Draft . As a wide receiver for the University of Georgia Bulldogs (1994–1997), Ward's 149 career receptions for 1,965 yards placed him second in team history. He also played tailback and totaled 3,870 all-purpose yards, second only to Herschel Walker in Bulldogs history. In 1995, Ward played some quarterback his sophomore year. He holds Georgia bowl game records for pass attempts, pass completions, and passing yards in

351-627: A 23–14 victory for Pittsburgh. In that same game the Steelers' Ryan Clark delivered a concussion-inducing, but legal hit on the Ravens' Willis McGahee that left Clark briefly out cold and forced McGahee to spend the night in a Pittsburgh hospital. The Steelers went on to win Super Bowl XLIII against the Arizona Cardinals . The bitter rivalry continued in the 2009 NFL season ; the Ravens won 20–17 at M&T Bank Stadium and

468-536: A 27–10 divisional win over the Ravens. The next week, as the Steelers played the New England Patriots , he caught 6 passes for 64 receiving yards in a 17–24 loss to the eventual Super Bowl XXXVI Champions. 2001 marked his first season with 16 starts and over 1,000 receiving yards, as he finished with 94 catches for 1,003 receiving yards and 4 touchdown catches. Along with Jerome Bettis, Kordell Stewart, Alan Faneca , Jason Gildon , and Kendrell Bell , he

585-519: A 31–17 win for the Steelers. Later in the 1996 NFL season , on December 1, the Ravens beat the Steelers 31–17 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore . After splitting the games in their first season together, the Steelers would go on to mostly dominate the series in the early years, winning eight of eleven meetings (including a 2001 Divisional Playoff game) before the AFC Central was restructured into

702-486: A 34-yard touchdown in a 20–27 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals . During the first quarter of a Week 14 matchup against the Ravens, Ward caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from Jerome Bettis . Ward finished his second season with 61 catches, 638 receiving yards, and 7 touchdowns in 16 games and 14 starts. He began his third season with Pittsburgh, making 2 receptions for 20 yards in the Steelers' home opener against

819-479: A 37–36 victory over the Green Bay Packers . This was the first time Ward had 5 games with over 100 receiving yards in a single season. Ward finished the 2009 season with 95 receptions for 1,167 yards and six touchdowns as the Steelers finished 9–7. After the Steelers drafted Mike Wallace in 2009 and Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown in 2010 , Ward began to have a decline in his receptions. In

936-607: A 39–26 loss against the New England Patriots in Week 10 of the 2010 season. A short catch by Ward was knocked loose when he was tackled by safeties Patrick Chung and James Sanders , and was knocked out of the rest of the game; the Patriots challenged the call, and the pass was ruled incomplete on review, ending the streak. On January 15, 2011, the Steelers faced the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional playoffs. Ward finished

1053-458: A 46–yard field goal in overtime. In Week 15 at Baltimore, the Steelers beat the Ravens with a controversial score late in the game. Also, as a result, the Steelers won the AFC North championship. In the playoff game, a personal foul by special teams player Daren Stone cost the Ravens 25 yards. The game's last score was an interception that was returned for a touchdown by Troy Polamalu , sealing

1170-527: A 64-yard touchdown during the 29–21 victory. This was Ward's third consecutive game with over 100 receiving yards and a touchdown. The Steelers finished the season 10–5–1 and made the playoffs for the second year in a row. On January 5, 2003, they played the Browns in the AFC Wild-card game. Ward finished the game with 11 catches, 104 receiving yards, and also caught his first career postseason touchdown in

1287-483: A Week 6 contest against the Browns, Ward accumulated 8 receptions, 159 receiving yards, and a touchdown. The game marked his third game of the season with over 100 receiving yards. He had his fourth game with over a hundred yards on November 22, as he had a season-high 10 catches for 128 yards and a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs. On December 20, 2009, Ward caught 7 passes for 126 receiving yards in

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1404-692: A close 16–13 win. [1] Ravens vs Steelers box scores at The Football Database American Football Conference The American Football Conference ( AFC ) is one of the two conferences of the National Football League (NFL), the highest professional level of American football in the United States. The AFC and its counterpart, the National Football Conference (NFC), each contain 16 teams with 4 divisions. Both conferences were created as part of

1521-768: A football analyst, highlighted by his role on the Sunday Night Football pregame show Football Night in America . He opened a restaurant called Table 86 and a wine bar named Vines in Seven Fields with Howard A Shiller from Fort Lauderdale in August 2015. The restaurant closed in March 2019 due to a lawsuit surrounding the partnership dispute for the businesses. Ward joined CNN and HLN in May 2016. He

1638-549: A hit from Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith during the Steelers opening drive, forcing him to leave the game. In relief, Mitch Trubisky would come out in relief but throw 3 interceptions in a 16–14 loss that would also see Ravens backup Quarterback Tyler Huntley who was already starting in relief of Lamar Jackson go down as well, forcing Baltimore to start Anthony Brown . On January 1, 2023, in Baltimore, Pickett would make his second start, throwing for 168 yards and 1 touchdown in

1755-484: A joke. The NFL investigated, and Suggs was cleared of any wrongdoing. In 1996, NFL football returned to Baltimore , 12 years after the original Baltimore Colts moved to Indianapolis . In a strange twist of fate, Art Modell , former owner of the Steelers' traditional rival, the Cleveland Browns , agreed to suspend the Browns franchise in return for taking his players and personnel to Baltimore, creating

1872-447: A malfunctioning boiler, and it was closed for repairs until June of that year. The bar received an insurance settlement of $ 500,000, which subsequently became an issue during a legal dispute between the bar's owners. On September 11, 2007, co-owner Nicholas Lettieri withdrew the entirety of the bar's funds, approximately $ 19,000, from a corporate account, causing it to miss a large number of scheduled payments. The company filed suit for

1989-414: A minute remaining, Steelers RB Benny Snell was thought to have been short of the line to gain to set up 4th and inches. However, this was overturned and Pittsburgh was awarded a first down and could run out the clock on the Ravens, who were out of time outs. Combined with an earlier win in Baltimore, this marked the Steelers' first season sweep of the Ravens since 2017. On October 3, 2021, the Ravens tied

2106-414: A record set by the 1974–1977 Steelers for most consecutive games (43) rushing over 100 yards as a team. The Ravens' streak dated back to the 2018 season. On December 5, the Steelers took the first matchup of the 2021 season with a 20–19 victory, in which Baltimore unsuccessfully attempted a 2-point conversion on a last-minute touchdown that would have given them the win. They completed the season sweep during

2223-507: A season-ending elbow injury, leaving Mason Rudolph as the Steelers' starting quarterback. The 2–2 Ravens met the 1–3 Steelers in Week 5 in Pittsburgh as both teams looked to assert their position in a three-team race for the AFC North, along with the 2–2 Cleveland Browns . This physical game, which was Jackson's first career start against the Steelers, included several injuries, including a hard hit from safety Earl Thomas on Rudolph in

2340-650: A significant fan base in the area, so when the Ravens are at home, the Steelers are shown instead. The Harrisburg area also has a significant fan base for the Philadelphia Eagles , who also have Harrisburg as a secondary market (but are in the NFC, so Fox affiliate WPMT usually shows the Eagles). The Colts also had many fans in Harrisburg during their stay in Baltimore. In 2005, Sports Illustrated ranked

2457-416: A touchdown as the Steelers lost 14–31. The next week on December 28, 2008, Ward caught his 800th NFL reception, extending his record for receptions by a Steelers receiver. Also in this game, Ward achieved his first 1000-yard season since 2004, finishing with 81 receptions for 1043 yards and 7 touchdowns on the year. The Steelers finished the 2008 regular season with a 12–4 record and made the playoffs. During

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2574-495: A touchdown in a 13–30 loss at Baltimore. During the 4th quarter, starting quarterback Tommy Maddox was injured and replaced by rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger . After replacing Maddox, Roethlisberger threw a touchdown pass to Ward, making it the first one of their career together. During a Week 3 contest at the Miami Dolphins , Ward caught 9 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown. After replacing Maddox, Roethlisberger led

2691-532: A touchdown in a loss to the Bengals. In 2003, the Steelers voted him their team MVP as he caught a total of 95 receptions for 1,163 yards and 10 touchdowns for the season. He was voted, along with Faneca, to his third consecutive Pro Bowl. After three successful years with Mike Mularkey, Ward began the season under new offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt and new wide receivers coach Bruce Arians . On September 19, 2004, he caught 6 passes for 151 receiving yards and

2808-399: A touchdown. He finished the 2010 season with 59 receptions, 755 receiving yards, and five receiving touchdowns. He had not had a season below 60 catches since 2000. Ward began the 2011 NFL season, making 5 receptions for 67 yards in the Steelers' season opener against the Ravens. On October 9, 2011, he had 7 catches for 54 receiving yards and 2 touchdown receptions. In this game, he caught

2925-531: A victory parade at the Magic Kingdom theme park on February 6 along with Emmitt Smith . After 2005, he returned to start in the Steelers' season opener against the Dolphins and caught 5 passes for 53 yards and a touchdown, as they beat Miami, 28–16. On October 22, 2006, Ward caught eight receptions for 171 receiving yards and caught three touchdowns for the first time in his career, as they lost 38–41 to

3042-670: Is a current CNN studio analyst. In 2018, he joined the Alliance of American Football as the Player Relations Executive. In 2006, Ward became the first Korean American to win the Super Bowl MVP award. This achievement threw him into the spotlight of media in South Korea . From April 3 through May 30, 2006, Ward returned to his birthplace of Seoul for the first time since his parents moved to

3159-645: Is an American football coach and former player who is the wide receivers coach for Arizona State . He played as a wide receiver in the NFL after being selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 1998 NFL draft . He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs . Ward played his entire professional career for the Steelers and he became the team's all-time leader in receptions, receiving yardage and touchdown receptions. Ward

3276-461: Is unusual for Ravens–Steelers games. Though the Steelers went on to win the AFC North with an 11–5 record, the 10–6 Ravens would earn their first playoff victory over their rival on January 3, 2015, with a 30–17 win at Heinz Field in the wild-card round, in the game Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs (who had public comments against Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethliesberger years before) caught a game sealing interception with his legs. In Week 9 of 2016 ,

3393-529: The 1970 NFL season , the league had careful discussion over the nature of which teams would play in the newly instituted conferences. Then-NFL President and owner of the Cleveland Browns Art Modell had suggested of a format in which three teams from the NFL would move to the AFC to create two thirteen-team conferences. But negotiations between NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle and other owners

3510-612: The 1970 merger between the National Football League, and the American Football League (AFL). All ten of the AFL teams, and three NFL teams, became members of the new AFC, with the remaining thirteen NFL teams forming the NFC. A series of league expansions and division realignments have occurred since the merger, thus making the current total of 16 teams in each conference. The current AFC champions are

3627-493: The 1995 Peach Bowl in which he completed 31 of 59 passes for 413 yards. Despite his performance at the quarterback position as a Sophomore, Ward primarily played receiver his final two years of college play only attempting a handful of passes during those seasons. In 1996, Ward had 52 receptions for 900 yards, and also ran 26 times for 170 yards. In 1997, he hauled in 55 passes for 715 yards and scored six touchdowns while, and also ran 30 times for 223 yards, getting All-SEC honors in

Ravens–Steelers rivalry - Misplaced Pages Continue

3744-546: The 2012 season, the Ravens and Steelers split their games; the road team won each meeting. The Ravens won their second consecutive AFC North title and won Super Bowl XLVII against the San Francisco 49ers . On Thanksgiving 2013 , the Ravens defeated the Steelers 22–20, preventing a last-minute 2–point conversion and forcing a split between the rivals for the season. The game included an infamous moment when Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin unintentionally stepped onto

3861-482: The Baltimore Ravens , catching a 12-yard pass from Kordell Stewart . During a Week 10 contest against the Green Bay Packers , he caught a season-high 2 passes for 56 yards. Although he appeared in every game during his first season, he finished with only 15 receptions for 246 receiving yards. In 1999, he saw more action after former starting wide receiver Charles Johnson departed for Philadelphia during

3978-399: The Baltimore Ravens . On September 17, 2000, he received his first start of the season at the Browns and had 5 receptions for 75 receiving yards. In a Week 7 win over Cincinnati, he accumulated a season-high 91 receiving yards on 2 catches, while scoring a 77-yard touchdown, his first of the season. On December 10, 2000, he caught a season-high 6 passes for 64 receiving yards in a 10–30 loss at

4095-582: The Browns–Steelers rivalry due to the Browns' relocation to Baltimore, as well as the "reactivated" Browns' poor record against the Steelers since returning to the league in 1999. Due to its physical nature, it has received comparisons to the Steelers' rivalry with the Oakland Raiders in the 1970s, when those two teams were among the most physical teams in the league. Both teams have also handed each other their first loss in their current stadiums;

4212-485: The Cincinnati Bengals in 1968) before the merger. Modell was in the hospital for internal bleeding around the time negotiations were still going. When he was visited by Art Rooney (owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers ) and Wellington Mara (owner of the New York Giants ), Modell made the suggestion that his franchise would move to the AFC if the Steelers and Baltimore Colts did so as well. In order to equalize

4329-551: The Kansas City Chiefs , who defeated the Baltimore Ravens in the 2023 season 's AFC Championship Game for their fourth conference championship and went on to win Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers . Like the NFC, the conference has 16 teams organized into four divisions each with four teams: East , North , South and West . Currently, the fourteen opponents each team faces over

4446-631: The NFC has sent 13 of the 16 NFC teams during that same time frame with only the Detroit Lions , Minnesota Vikings , and Washington Commanders missing out on an appearance in the Super Bowl . 17 of the 19 AFC champions from 2001 to 2019 have started one of just three quarterbacks - Tom Brady , Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger - in the Super Bowl. The AFC has started 7 quarterbacks in

4563-558: The New York Giants . In his last season under offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride , Ward finished with a total of 48 receptions for 672 yards and 4 touchdowns. On September 8, 2001, Ward was signed to a four-year, $ 9.5 million contract extension. In his first year under new offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey , Ward had his best season of his career to that point. While starting in the season opener at Jacksonville , he made 7 catches for 82 receiving yards. In their second game against

4680-732: The Tennessee Titans . The NFL would again expand in 2002, adding the Houston Texans to the AFC. With the exception of the aforementioned relocations since that time, the divisional setup has remained static ever since. Between 1995 and 2022, the AFC has sent only 9 of its 16 teams to the Super Bowl : New England Patriots (10 times), Pittsburgh Steelers (4 times), Denver Broncos (4 times), Baltimore Ravens (2 times), Indianapolis Colts (2 times), Kansas City Chiefs (3 times), Cincinnati Bengals (1 time), Las Vegas Raiders (1 time), Tennessee Titans (1 time). By contrast,

4797-473: The 17-game regular season schedule are set using a predetermined formula: Each AFC team plays the other teams in their respective division twice (home and away) during the regular season, in addition to eleven other games assigned to their schedule by the NFL: three games are assigned on the basis of a particular team's final divisional standing from the previous season, and the remaining eight games are split between

Ravens–Steelers rivalry - Misplaced Pages Continue

4914-665: The 1997 season. From 1998 to 2013, CBS was the primary broadcast rightsholder to the AFC; in those years, all interconference games in which the AFC team was the visiting team were broadcast on either NBC or CBS. Since 2014, the cross-flex policy allows select AFC games (that involve them playing an NFC team at home or intraconference games) to be moved from CBS to Fox. Since 1990, select AFC playoff games have been seen on ABC or ESPN. AFC Divisions AFC Division Rivals AFC East AFC North AFC South Rivals AFC West Rivals AFC Interdivisional Rivals AFC Television Network Hines Ward Hines Edward Ward Jr. (born March 8, 1976)

5031-519: The 2010 home opener against the Falcons, Ward had six receptions for 108 receiving yards as the Steelers won 15–9. In the game against the Atlanta Falcons , Ward became the first player in Steelers history to surpass 11,000 receiving yards. He caught 108 yards worth of passes in that game to pass Hall of Fame Steelers receiver John Stallworth for the most 100-yard receiving games all-time for

5148-416: The 32nd matchup between head coaches John Harbaugh of the Ravens and Mike Tomlin of the Steelers, surpassing Curly Lambeau and Steve Owen for the second-most head-to-head matchups between head coaches in NFL history (the current record is held by Lambeau and George Halas with 49). Kenny Pickett made his first start against the Ravens in Pittsburgh, however it would be short lived, as he would sustain

5265-561: The 36–33 victory. The following week, the Steelers played at Tennessee in the divisional playoff game. Although they lost 31–34, Ward finished with 7 catches for 82 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns. Along with teammate Alan Faneca, Ward was selected to play in his second consecutive Pro Bowl. In the Pro Bowl, he caught 2 passes for 45 yards and scored a 32-yard touchdown. He finished his fifth season with 1,329 receiving yards, 112 receptions, and 12 touchdown receptions, all career-highs. This also

5382-493: The 4–3 Steelers and 3–4 Ravens met at M&T Bank Stadium, each team having an opportunity to gain control of the AFC North. Behind a defense that shut out the Steelers for the first three quarters, the Ravens won 21–14, taking the lead in the division and evening the teams' records at 4–4. In the rematch at Heinz Field on Christmas Day , the 9–5 Steelers prevailed over the 8–6 Ravens in a back-and-forth game, 31–27. With nine seconds remaining, Steelers receiver Antonio Brown scored

5499-476: The AFC North in 2002. From 2002 to 2007, the rivals split their games 6–6, signaling a more competitive and fierce era for the rivalry. The rivalry reached a new height of intensity during the 2008 NFL season , when the Ravens and Steelers played three times, the final match being the AFC Championship game. The Steelers won all three games by close margins. In Week 4 at Pittsburgh, the Steelers won on

5616-431: The AFC North that have claimed Super Bowl victories. The Steelers boast six Super Bowl championships, while the Ravens have won two, with both teams achieving two titles since the inception of their rivalry. The Steelers lead the overall series, 36–25. The two teams have met four times in the playoffs , with the Steelers holding a 3–1 record. Steel Mill closures in the 1970's and 1980s brought many Pittsburgh residents to

5733-559: The AFC and two have left, thus making the current total 16. When the Seattle Seahawks and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers joined the league in 1976, they were temporarily placed in the NFC and AFC respectively. This arrangement lasted for one season only before the two teams switched conferences. The Seahawks eventually returned to the NFC as a result of the 2002 realignment . The expansion Jacksonville Jaguars joined

5850-574: The AFC divisional game against the San Diego Chargers, Ward caught 4 passes for 70 yards. The following week in the AFC Championship, he made 3 receptions for 55 yards as they beat the Ravens 23–14 to go on to Super Bowl XLIII . On February 1, 2009, the Steelers played the Arizona Cardinals, led by the Steelers' former offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt. During the game, Ward played a supporting role behind Santonio Holmes , who

5967-507: The AFC in 1995. There have been five teams that have relocated at least once. In 1984, the Baltimore Colts relocated to Indianapolis. In 1995, the Cleveland Browns had attempted to move to Baltimore; the resulting dispute between Cleveland and the team led to Modell establishing the Baltimore Ravens with the players and personnel from the Browns, while the Browns were placed in suspended operations before they were reinstated by

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6084-465: The Arizona Cardinals head coach. As the Steelers played the Bengals on October 28, 2007, Ward hauled in 8 passes for 88 yards and 2 touchdowns. On December 2, 2007, he caught a season-high 11 passes for 90 receiving yards and 2 touchdown receptions during the 24–10 victory over the Bengals. The 2 touchdowns against the Bengals made Ward the Steelers' all-time touchdown receptions leader with his 64th touchdown reception. Then on December 20, 2007, Ward became

6201-623: The Atlanta Falcons. During the season, he missed Weeks 13 and 14 and only finished his second season in a row with exactly 975 receiving yards. After the Steelers finished 8–8 and missed the playoffs, Head Coach Bill Cowher announced he was retiring. After eight years under Bill Cowher, Ward had the second coach of his career, as the Steelers organization hired Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin as their new head coach. This also marked his first season under offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, as Ken Whisenhunt left to become

6318-540: The Baltimore Area where Bethlehem Steel was still thriving at the time. In Baltimore, this rivalry has the added element of a small number of former Baltimore Colts fans in the area becoming Steelers fans after the Colts moved, then retaining their affiliation with the Steelers after the Ravens began play in Baltimore as a division rival of the Steelers. In Pittsburgh, it is considered the spiritual successor to

6435-762: The Baltimore Ravens expansion franchise. The inter-divisional rivalry carried over with both teams remaining in what was then the AFC Central Division. "The coaches hate each other, the players hate each other... There's no calling each other after the game and inviting each other out to dinner. But the feeling's mutual: They don't like us, and we don't like them. There's no need to hide it, they know it, and we know it. It's going to be one of those black and blue games." — Hines Ward , Steelers WR The Ravens and Steelers first met on September 8, 1996, at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh , which resulted in

6552-465: The Bengals, Ward hauled in a season-high 9 receptions for 135 receiving yards and 2 touchdown receptions. After finishing the season 11–5, the Steelers played the Bengals for the AFC Wild Card on January 8, 2006. Ward finished the Steelers playoff victory over Cincinnati with only 2 catches for 10 yards, and also scored a 5-yard touchdown. The next week, he caught 3 passes for 68 receiving yards as

6669-540: The Cleveland Browns while the 8–6–1 Steelers hosted the Cincinnati Bengals. The Steelers needed a win and a Ravens loss to win their third consecutive division championship, while the Ravens simply needed a win to clinch the AFC North. While the Steelers were able to win, the Ravens topped the Browns 26–24, which gave Baltimore the AFC North title. Steelers players and fans stayed to watch the end of

6786-411: The Colts chose Jerome Pathon (32nd overall) instead, both wide receivers. Ward was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round (92nd overall) of the 1998 NFL Draft. On July 20, 1998, the Steelers signed him to a three-year, $ 885,000 contract. Ward began his rookie season as the fourth receiver on the Steelers' depth chart. He played in his first career game on September 6, 1998, against

6903-565: The Conference). The AFC logo basically remained unchanged from 1970 to 2009. The 2010 NFL season introduced an updated AFC logo, with the most notable revision being the removal of two stars (leaving four representing the four divisions of the AFC), and moving the stars inside the letter, similar to the NFC logo, which itself was updated at the same time to add a fourth star. NBC aired the AFC's Sunday afternoon and playoff games from 1970 through

7020-526: The Jaguars in Week 10, Ward came away with 9 receptions for 112 yards and scored a 28-yard touchdown in a 20–7 victory. This also marked his first game with over 100 receiving yards in his career. On December 9, 2001, against the New York Jets , Ward accumulated a season-high 10 catches for 124 receiving yards. He played in his first playoff game of his career in 2001, making 3 receptions for 37 yards in

7137-517: The NFL to become the new AFC Central. Upon the completion of the merger of the AFL and NFL in 1970, the newly minted American Football Conference had already agreed upon their divisional setup along mostly geographical lines for the 1970 season ; the National Football Conference, however, could not agree upon their setup, and one was chosen from a fishbowl on January 16, 1970. Since the merger, five expansion teams have joined

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7254-633: The NFL. The Ravens were treated as an expansion team. In California , the Oakland Raiders relocated to Los Angeles in 1982, back to Oakland in 1995, and then to Las Vegas in 2020, while the San Diego Chargers returned to Los Angeles in 2017 after 56 years in San Diego . The Houston Oilers moved to Tennessee in 1997, where they were renamed the Tennessee Oilers. The team would change its name again, two years later, to

7371-527: The Patriots. Although they lost to the defending Super Bowl Champions 20–23, this marked Ward's first back-to-back games with 2 touchdown receptions. After starting 88 consecutive games, Ward missed the game against the Jaguars on October 16. On November 13, 2005, Ward became the Steelers' all-time leading receiver with his 538th catch against the Browns on ESPN Sunday Night Football surpassing John Stallworth 's record. The Steelers won 34–21. In Week 13 against

7488-408: The Ravens forced seven turnovers and routed the Steelers 35–7 at home. During Week 9 of the season, the Steelers were on the verge of winning the rematch at Heinz Field. The Steelers were ready to potentially increase their lead with a 47–yard field goal kick by Shaun Suisham , but a 5–yard delay of game penalty put them out of field goal range and they instead decided to punt the ball to the Ravens. In

7605-595: The Ravens game on the jumbotron at Heinz Field after the game. Steelers fans were actively cheering for the Browns (with whom the Steelers also share a rivalry ). The Steelers employees had to take "AFC North Division Champions" shirts that were in boxes on the field off after the Ravens won. During the 2019 offseason, the Ravens traded Joe Flacco to the Denver Broncos and named Lamar Jackson as their starting quarterback moving forward. Meanwhile, Ben Roethlisberger 's 2019 season ended in Week 2 after suffering

7722-535: The Stars and brief cameos in the 2012 film The Dark Knight Rises and in the television series The Walking Dead . He was a studio analyst for NBC's Football Night in America from 2012 to 2015. Ward joined CNN and HLN in May 2016. He was the player relations executive of the Alliance of American Football . In 2019, Ward began his coaching career as an offensive assistant for the New York Jets , working with wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson. In 2021, Ward

7839-569: The Steelers beat the Indianapolis Colts 21–18. In the 2005 AFC Championship game at the Denver Broncos, he had 59 receiving yards on 5 receptions while also making a touchdown catch, as the Steelers won 34–17. On February 5, 2006, Ward played in his first career Super Bowl. In Super Bowl XL , he accumulated 5 receptions, 123 receiving yards, and caught a 43-yard touchdown reception from wide receiver Antwaan Randle El to seal

7956-466: The Steelers for the first time since 2015 and ending their hopes for a playoff spot while earning their second consecutive AFC North title with a franchise-best record of 14–2. On December 2, 2020, the Ravens traveled to Pittsburgh for a rare Wednesday game after their game, originally scheduled for Thanksgiving was postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak among the Ravens. The Ravens were missing several starters, including Jackson. Leading 19-14 with under

8073-554: The Steelers handed the Ravens their first loss at PSINet Stadium (now M&T Bank Stadium ) in 1998, while the Ravens returned the favor by handing the Steelers their first loss at Heinz Field (now Acrisure Stadium ) in 2001. Additionally, a notable battleground for the rivalry is the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania market area. Harrisburg is officially a secondary market for the Ravens, and so CBS affiliate WHP-TV must show all Ravens Sunday afternoon away games. The Steelers also have

8190-410: The Steelers have not officially retired Ward's #86, they have not reissued it since his retirement and it is understood that no Steeler will ever wear it again. Ward's versatility, hands, and willingness to block served him well as a professional wide receiver. Since being drafted by the Steelers in the third round of the 1998 NFL draft , he earned three team Most Valuable Player (MVP) selections. He

8307-407: The Steelers to 14 wins in a row. On December 18, 2004, Ward made 9 catches for a season-high 134 yards as Pittsburgh beat the Giants 33–30 for their 13th consecutive victory. After finishing the season 15–1, the Steelers played the Jets for the divisional championship. During the 20–17 win, Ward racked up 10 catches for 105 receiving yards and a touchdown. On January 23, 2005, the Steelers lost 27–41 to

8424-545: The Steelers with his 26th. His six catches against the Falcons gave him 901 for his career, making him only the 12th NFL player of all time to surpass 900 career receptions. On October 24, 2010, he had a season-high 131 receiving yards on seven receptions and scored a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins. In Week 14 against the Bengals, he hauled in a season-high eight passes for 115 yards. Ward's streak of 186 consecutive games with at least one reception came to an end in

8541-486: The Steelers won 23–20 at Heinz Field. Both the Ravens and the Steelers finished the season with 9–7 records, but Baltimore won a Wild Card slot over Pittsburgh due to a better division record. The Ravens and Steelers met three times again in 2010 , with the Ravens winning the first game and the Steelers winning the last two, including the Divisional Playoff game. On the opening Sunday of the 2011 NFL season ,

8658-580: The Steelers' 21–10 victory over the Seattle Seahawks . He was named the MVP in Super Bowl XL . This made him the second foreign-born player to earn the accolade. The Steelers also named Ward their co-MVP of the season along with Casey Hampton . Immediately following Super Bowl XL, Ward was videotaped for the "I'm Going to Disney World!" television commercial, adding "...and I'm taking The Bus!" Ward and Steelers teammate Jerome "The Bus" Bettis appeared in

8775-521: The Steelers' all-time receiving yardage leader in a game against the St. Louis Rams . In his first year under Mike Tomlin, the Steelers finished 10–6 and made the playoffs. Although they lost the AFC Wild Card Round matchup 29–31 to Jacksonville, Ward made 10 receptions for 135 receiving yards. Ward finished his ninth season with 71 receptions, 732 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns. During

8892-402: The Steelers' home opener, he had 8 catches for 103 receiving yards. On September 27, 2009, during a game against Cincinnati, Ward's four catches for 82 yards earned him 10,000 career receiving yards and made him the first wide receiver in Steelers' history to achieve that milestone. On third-and-two Ben Roethlisberger hit Ward for a 14-yard gain, giving Ward 10,001 career receiving yards. During

9009-517: The United States when he was one year old. Ward used his celebrity status to arrange "hope-sharing" meetings with multiracial Korean children and to encourage social and political reform. At one hope-sharing meeting, he told a group of children, "If the country can accept me for who I am and accept me for being a Korean, I'm pretty sure that this country can change and accept you for who you are." On his final day in Korea, he donated US$ 1 million to create

9126-556: The contest with 3 receptions for 25 yards and a touchdown, as the Steelers won 31–24. The next week in the AFC Championship, he had 2 catches for 14 yards as the Steelers beat the New York Jets 24–19 to advance to Super Bowl XLV . On February 6, 2011, Ward appeared in his third Super Bowl with the Steelers against the Green Bay Packers. In his first career Super Bowl loss, he caught 7 passes for 78 receiving yards and

9243-559: The end of each season, the four division winners and three wild cards (non-division winners with best regular season record) in the AFC qualify for the playoffs . The AFC playoffs culminate in the AFC Championship Game , with the winner receiving the Lamar Hunt Trophy. The AFC champion then plays the NFC champion in the Super Bowl . With the impending merger with the American Football League (AFL) for

9360-490: The end, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco threw a 26–yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Torrey Smith in the end zone with just eight seconds remaining, giving the Ravens the win and a season sweep of the Steelers. This would mark the last time Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis would play against the Steelers, as he was injured during the teams' two meetings in 2012 and retired following his win in Super Bowl XLVII . In

9477-569: The eventual Super Bowl XXXIX Champions, the New England Patriots. In the AFC Championship game, Ward pulled in 5 catches for 109 yards and a touchdown. For the fourth year in a row, he was voted to the Pro Bowl along with Alan Faneca. In the game, he had 63 receiving yards on 3 receptions and scored a touchdown. He finished the season having caught 80 passes for 1,004 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns. This also marked his fourth year with over 1,000 receiving yards. In 2005, Ward missed

9594-408: The field interfering with a Jacoby Jones kickoff return, eventually resulting in a $ 100,000 fine for Tomlin. In Week 2 of the 2014 season, the Ravens beat the Steelers 26–6 at M&T Bank Stadium, which marked the first time since 2011 that the Steelers did not score a touchdown in a game. In Week 9, the Steelers defeated the Ravens 43–23 at Heinz Field. Both games were decided by 20 points, which

9711-555: The final week of the season on January 9, 2022, beating the Ravens in overtime with a field goal by Chris Boswell to stay alive in the playoff race, as Indianapolis had lost earlier that day. This win, combined with a win by the Raiders later that evening , not only eliminated the Ravens from playoff contention, but sent the Steelers to the playoffs in what would prove to be Roethlisberger's final NFL season, as he would announce his retirement on January 27, 2022. December 11, 2022 marked

9828-442: The first two weeks of training camp in a holdout for a contract extension that would increase his salary. Ward had considered holding out before camp in 2004, but had been persuaded after meeting with the Steelers' owner Dan Rooney and Jerome Bettis. He was told they could work out an extension during the year and he'd be paid fairly. With a great relationship with Dan Rooney, he conceded and eventually showed up on August 15, 2005, on

9945-433: The game's final points by reaching over the goal line. The win secured the AFC North championship for Pittsburgh and eliminated Baltimore from playoff contention. The tightest game in the rivalry was a 39–38 Steelers win in Week 14 of 2017. The Ravens erased Steelers leads of 14-0 and 17-7 to lead 38-29 in the fourth quarter but the Steelers scored ten points in the final four minutes. Roethlisberger had 506 passing yards in

10062-420: The game. The teams split their 2018 meetings, both winning on the road. In Week 4, The teams met in Pittsburgh for a Sunday Night Football showdown. The Ravens jumped out to a 14–0 lead in the first quarter, but following a Pittsburgh field goal and then a fumble by Ravens running back Alex Collins near the Steelers' goal line, the Steelers gained momentum and tied the game 14–14 at halftime. However, in

10179-497: The game. He appeared in his last game with the Steelers on January 8, 2012, as the Steelers lost 23–29 to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Wild Card Round. He finished his last season with a total of 46 receptions, 381 receiving yards, and two touchdowns in 15 games and nine starts. On March 7, 2012, the Steelers announced their intention to cut and release Ward, which they did two days later. On March 20, 2012, Ward announced his retirement from professional football stating, "Without

10296-409: The last 20 Super Bowls, while the NFC has started 16. The merged league created a new logo for the AFC that took elements of the old AFL logo, specifically the "A" and the six stars surrounding it. The NFC also adopted a logo in 1970 which like the AFL and AFC logos also contained only the first letter as opposed to a full abbreviation, but with only three stars (to represent the then-three divisions of

10413-460: The last touchdown of his career on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger in the second quarter. On December 4, 2011, in a 35–7 home victory against the Cincinnati Bengals , Ward became the 19th player in NFL history to reach 12,000 receiving yards. On January 1, 2012, in a game against the Cleveland Browns , Ward caught his 1,000th reception, becoming the eighth player in NFL history to do so. He also caught his last career reception during

10530-465: The matter currently is before the court. The Locker Room reopened under the name South Side 86 (because of Ward's jersey number), and is owned entirely by Ward, who bought out his co-owners. Ward hosted the Hines Ward Show on Pittsburgh CBS O&O KDKA-TV from 2006 to 2012. In 2012, shortly after announcing his retirement, it was announced that Ward had signed on with NBC Sports to be

10647-400: The number of teams in each conference, three NFL teams that predated the AFL's launch (the Cleveland Browns , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the then- Baltimore Colts ) joined the ten former AFL teams to form the AFC. The two AFL divisions AFL East and AFL West were more or less intact, while the NFL's Century Division , in which the Browns and the Steelers had played since 1967, was moved from

10764-440: The off-season. He began the season as the starting wide receiver in the season opener against the Cleveland Browns . Ward caught his first career touchdown from Mike Tomczak and finished the game with a total of 3 catches for 51 yards. On October 10, 1999, he had 6 receptions for 67 receiving yards, and caught a touchdown from Kordell Stewart. In Week 12, he accounted for a season-high 7 receptions and 89 receiving yards, and caught

10881-463: The process. When he came out of college, it was discovered that Ward was missing an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee, which he lost during a bicycle accident during childhood. According to a Yahoo! Sports article, Ward broke his kneecap in the fourth grade and the doctors never accounted for the ligament. Coming out of the University of Georgia, Ward was regarded as one of

10998-478: The public, during this time, Ward Sr. did not support Ward with child support or visit him regularly. Ward has stated that he talks with his father about once every two years. Ward has stated that he has yet to reconcile with his father who left Hines Jr. when he was two years old. Under the guidance of coach Mike Parris at Forest Park High School in Forest Park, Georgia , Ward showcased his athletic skills as

11115-431: The remainder of the 2008 season. Ward was not penalized for this block, nor was he fined by the league as the hit was deemed legal. The league, however, later passed a new rule banning such hits. The so-called "Hines Ward Rule" made a blindside block illegal if the block came from the blocker's helmet, forearm or shoulder and lands to the head or neck area of a defender. In a Sports Illustrated poll of NFL players in 2009, he

11232-421: The return of the money, and Lettieri subsequently justified his actions by claiming that the money was owed to him, also voicing the belief that the other co-owners, Ward and Kimberly Pitts, as well as Pitts' husband, Korry Pitts, had falsified invoices and diverted company funds to their own bank accounts. Company attorney Thomas Castello dismissed Lettieri's allegations as "baseless, ridiculous and unfounded", and

11349-404: The rivalry #2 on a list of "Top 10 New NFL Rivalries". By 2015, Bleacher Report had ranked it the #1 rivalry in all of the NFL. One of the rivalry's most memorable moments was Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs being quoted as saying that a "bounty" was put out on the head of Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward . The bounty controversy was cleared up when Suggs insisted his words were just meant as

11466-537: The roster of two other NFL divisions. This assignment shifts each year and will follow a standard cycle. Using the 2023 regular season schedule as an example, each team in the AFC West plays against every team in the AFC East and NFC North. In this way, non-divisional competition will be mostly among common opponents – the exception being the three games assigned based on the team's prior-season divisional standing. At

11583-560: The season, he missed Weeks 4, 5, and 17, making it the most games he missed in a single season. Ward began the 2008 NFL season with two touchdown catches in a 38–16 victory over the Houston Texans. On November 16, 2008, he caught a season-high 11 passes for 124 yards against the San Diego Chargers . During a Week 16 contest at the Tennessee Titans, Ward racked up a total of 7 receptions for 109 receiving yards and scored

11700-499: The season, making a season-high 11 receptions, 139 receiving yards, and a touchdown during a 34–34 tie with the Atlanta Falcons . The following week, he caught 10 passes for a season-high 168 receiving yards and caught 2 touchdowns in a 23–31 loss to the Titans. It was his third game of the season with 2 touchdown receptions. He continued to dominate the next game against the Bengals, as he had 125 yards on 10 receptions, while also scoring

11817-420: The second half, the Ravens pulled away by kicking four field goals and shutting out the Steelers' offense, making the final score 26–14 in favor of Baltimore. In the rematch in Week 9, the Steelers defeated the Ravens 23–16, which included Joe Flacco's final start as a Raven due to an injury and later being benched in favor of rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson . In the final week of the season, the 9–6 Ravens hosted

11934-579: The sidelines for Pittsburgh's first preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles . That night, though, he did not play in that game. On September 5, 2005, the Steelers announced that they had reached an agreement on a four-year contract extension worth $ 25.83 million with Ward. On September 18, 2005, he caught 6 passes for 84 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns in a 27–7 victory over the Texans. The next week, Ward had 4 catches for 110 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns, including an 85-yard touchdown reception, against

12051-408: The support over the past 14 years this game wouldn't be the same to me. It wouldn't be as fun for me. You guys meant the world to me. The city and this organization means the world to me. So today as sadly as it feels for me right now, I hope it will be a good day for everyone here." Ward accumulated 76 receptions, 1,064 yards, and eight receiving touchdowns in 14 post-season appearances. Although

12168-522: The third quarter, requiring the Steelers to replace him with third string QB Devlin Hodges . The game was close throughout and eventually went into overtime, where the Ravens won 26–23 after Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey forced Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster to fumble, setting up Baltimore's game-winning field goal. In the final week of the season, the Ravens, having already clinched the AFC's #1 seed, rested their starters for this game and won 28-10, sweeping

12285-516: The top five receivers in the 1998 NFL draft , along with Kevin Dyson and Randy Moss . He was projected to be selected at the end of the first round or beginning of the second. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts expressed major interest in him, visiting him multiple times to meet with him. After it was discovered Ward did not have an ACL in one of his legs, his value dropped. The Buccaneers chose to draft Jacquez Green (34th overall) and

12402-405: Was also a four-time NFL Pro Bowl selection (2001–2004). Ward also had a streak of 4 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. The streak was broken in the 2005 NFL season during which he missed a game due to injury. In 2002, he set a Steelers franchise record for receptions (112) and touchdowns (12) (both since broken by Antonio Brown) and was named to his first of two consecutive All-NFL teams. Although he

12519-821: Was announced to be the next wide receivers coach for the Arizona State Sun Devils . Ward resides in Sandy Springs, Georgia , with his wife Lindsey Georgalas-Ward. They have one daughter. Ward also has a son from a previous relationship. On his upper right arm he has a tattoo of Mickey Mouse in the Heisman pose, just below a tattoo of his name in Korean. Ward co-owned a bar in Pittsburgh's South Side called The Locker Room. The bar sustained serious water damage in February 2007, due to flooding from

12636-403: Was considered one of the best blocking receivers in the NFL, Ward often faced criticism for his style of blocking, particularly for his propensity to hit defenders on their blind side. During a game on October 19, 2008, Ward put a vicious downfield blindside block on rookie Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Keith Rivers . The impact of the block left Rivers with a broken jaw, and caused him to miss

12753-644: Was hired by Florida Atlantic as special assistant to the head coach. Born in Seoul , South Korea to a Korean mother and African-American father, Ward grew up in the Atlanta area. He has become an advocate for the social acceptance of foreigners in Korea , especially blended or mixed race youth. Ward was born in Seoul , South Korea to a Korean mother, Kim Young-hee ( Korean :  김영희 ) and African-American father, Hines Ward Sr. His family moved to Atlanta and East Point, Georgia , when Hines Jr.

12870-406: Was his only season with over 100 receptions. After having the best season of his career, Ward returned in 2003 to make 9 catches for 91 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns in the season-opening win over the Ravens. The following game, he caught another 9 passes for 146 yards in a 20–41 loss at the Kansas City Chiefs . On November 30, 2003, Ward caught a career-high 13 passes for 149 receiving yards and

12987-585: Was later promoted to the position of wide receivers coach. In June 2021, Ward was announced as one of the eight XFL Head Coaches. He was announced as Head Coach of the San Antonio Brahmas in July 2022 when Team Locations were revealed. On December 28, 2023, Ward resigned from the Brahmas after finishing with a 3–7 record in 2023, in response to a change in contract structure. In April 2024, Ward

13104-413: Was one year old and Hines Sr. went to West Germany to serve a tour of duty . The next year, Ward's parents divorced, with Ward living with his mother and then with his paternal grandmother after Hines Sr. pleaded in family court that Kim could not easily raise Hines Jr. independently, as she did not speak English sufficiently. At the age of 7, Ward was reunited with his mother. For reasons not disclosed to

13221-401: Was rampant in who would move (for his part, Modell had first thought the three most recent expansion NFL teams - Minnesota Vikings , Atlanta Falcons , New Orleans Saints should be the ones to move to the AFC), since others wanted to simply have no realignment of NFL teams. The AFL had begun play in 1960 with eight teams before adding two more expansion clubs (the Miami Dolphins in 1966 and

13338-402: Was the game's MVP, but made 2 receptions for 43 yards, as the Steelers won 27–23 on a last-minute touchdown reception by Holmes. He played the game with a sprained right MCL. Ward completed the season with 81 receptions, 1,043 receiving yards, and seven touchdown receptions. On April 25, 2009, the Steelers signed Ward to a four-year, $ 22 million extension with a signing bonus of $ 3 million. In

13455-424: Was voted MVP of Super Bowl XL and upon retirement was one of eleven NFL players to have at least 1,000 career receptions . Ward is often regarded as one of the best wide receivers of the 2000s, as well as one of key figures for the Steelers' success during the 2000s. Aside from his career in the NFL, Ward has appeared in various forms of film and television media, including the reality TV series Dancing with

13572-542: Was voted the "dirtiest player in the NFL." In August 2017, Ward served as an offensive intern with the Pittsburgh Steelers , working with their wide receivers. In September 2019, Ward began his coaching career and was hired by the New York Jets as a full-time offensive assistant. In 2021, the Florida Atlantic University Owls hired Ward as special assistant to the head coach. He also worked alongside wide receivers coach Joey Thomas. He

13689-594: Was voted to the 2001 Pro Bowl, making it the first of his career. During the 2002 season opener, he had eight catches for 90 yards and a touchdown, in an AFC Championship rematch against the Patriots. The next game, he caught 7 passes for 92 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns in a 17–30 loss to the Oakland Raiders . It was his first game with more than a single touchdown in his career. During a Week 5 matchup at New Orleans , Ward made 5 receptions for 45 yards and caught his first touchdown reception from new quarterback Tommy Maddox . On November 10, 2002, Ward had his best game of

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