“Today will be the first day that I go out and try it out,” Ward said before taking the field. “I’m not going to go out there and try to go full speed like it is game time, but I still want to go out there and test it”
Ward has been in many Superbowls, and has played hurt in many of them.
“Me and the Super Bowls have had our battles. The last Super Bowl, I got injured on Friday. It’s unfortunate, but I went on to play and won the Super Bowl. This (injury) is the same. I have been training my butt off and rehabbing to go out there and give me an opportunity to play on Sunday.”
This was far from the worst injury he has had to deal with in a Superbowl, Ward said.
“In last year’s Super Bowl, I had a sprained AC joint. It’s almost a separation of the shoulder. I just knew that I wasn’t going to play. I was in a sling Friday and Saturday night. I couldn’t even reach my arm above my head. With this injury, at least I had two weeks to heal.”
Ward said he knee felt good. “It’s getting better every day.”
Ward said pride played a big part in motivating him to play hard, despite hardships.
“Anytime you put on a uniform you represent the players before you. You have a sense of pride. Pittsburgh is used to winning championships. Playing on a stage like this, you definitely want to go out there and give it all you have because you have a great opportunity.
“We have an opportunity to become the first organization in the NFL to win six championships. We can go down in history as being the first team in history to do that. As a player, you take pride in that. You always want to go out and perform well and bring back championships to the city of Pittsburgh.”
Friends Read Free