Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward has ended his 15-day holdout and joined the team Monday despite the fact that he has not been promised the new contract he had been seeking.
After a lengthy conversation with Steelers coach Bill Cowher on Sunday, Ward decided to rejoin his teammates and was on the sidelines during Monday night's pre-season game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
'For me, I needed to hear that from my head coach,' Ward told reporters before Monday night's game at Heinz Field. 'That's all a player can ask for. If your coach doesn't have confidence in you as a ballplayer, maybe you need to part ways. It's been a long time since we had a conversation like that.'
Ward had threatened to stay out of camp unless he received a contract extension that made him one of the highest paid receivers in the NFL. He became Pittsburgh's first major player holdout in 12 years when he failed to report to camp.
Ward is entering the final year of his current contract and is scheduled to earn $1.66 million this season. The Steelers have a policy of not renegotiating contracts with players.
Barring injury, Ward should become the Steelers all-time leading receiver. He told reporters he did not like the fact that his holdout was drawing comparisons to Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens.
'I hate seeing me put in this situation,' Ward said. 'It's totally different. ... I'm here because I want to retire as a Steeler. I don't even think I'd look right in another uniform. It's unfortunate it came to a holdout because I wouldn't miss this season for the world.'
Ward will be of even greater importance to the Steelers than ever this season since Plaxico Burress, the Steelers other starting wide out the past few seasons, signed a free agent deal with the New York Giants in the off-season.
