DETROIT – Hines Ward has made the last four Pro Bowls as the Steelers’ top receiver.
He also has cemented himself in the Steelers’ record books, having surpassed franchise greats Lynn Swann and John Stallworth in career receptions to rank No. 1 with 574 catches.
Sunday, however, is Ward’s first crack at a Super Bowl, a place where Swann and Stallworth etched their respective names in league history.
“This,” Ward was saying yesterday, “solidifies a lot of people’s careers. You’re based off what you’ve done in the Super Bowl. Those guys (Swann and Stallworth) had opportunities to win four Super Bowls. Getting this opportunity is a dream come true for me.”
It’s also an opportunity to lift his already-lofty higher in Steelers lore.
Ward, who led Pittsburgh with 69 receptions for 975 yards and 11 TDs this season, is a viable candidate to be the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XL.
The difference between he and the other receivers in this game – or around most of the league for that matter – is the dirty work Ward embraces.
He’s probably the best blocking receiver in the game today, which earns him immeasurable respect among teammates and opponents alike.
“He’s a receiver, but he blocks like an offensive guard,” fellow Steelers WR Nate Washington said of Ward. “Linebackers and defensive ends have got to watch their backs with Hines on the field. You hear Hines talking more about a big block more often than a big catch.
“If I hear about the Earl Little story from him one more time, I’m going to pull my head off,” Washington joked.
Washington was talking about a game last year when Ward knocked the Browns’ safety out of the game with a big block.
So, watch out for Ward; he can change the game with his hands as well as with his shoulder pads.
This is Ward’s eighth NFL season and first Super Bowl. Swann and Stallworth played in four Super Bowls in their first six seasons and excelled in the big games, which is why you see so many Super Bowl highlights featuring the two of them.
“You see them all the time,” Ward said of Swann and Stallworth. “Just look at the NFL Network. They have those old-school highlights there. That’s when Swann and Stallworth made their names, in the postseason.”
Indeed, Swann was the MVP of Super Bowl X when the Steelers beat the Cowboys 21-17, and he caught four passes for 161 yards and the game-winning TD.
Stallworth produced an MVP-worthy performance in Super Bowl XIV in a 31-19 triumph over the Rams, when he caught three passes for 121 yards and a TD, though QB Terry Bradshaw won the honor that year.
“I want to be the guy that catches the game-winning touchdown,” Ward said. “In the Super Bowl, everything gets magnified. You have to make sure you capitalize on every opportunity.
“I’d like us to be included in those discussions when people talk about the great Pittsburgh teams. Some of the greatest players in this game have not gotten the chance to win the Super Bowl. This solidifies a lot of people’s careers. You are based on what you have done in the Super Bowl.”
mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com
SUPER PICKS
Boomer Esiason, CBS Sports
“I’m picking Pittsburgh. I think the game will be really close. I think it will be a quality Super Bowl because these teams are so evenly matched. I see a 28-24 Steelers win.
Sterling Sharpe, NFL Network
“I look for the Seahawks to pound the football with Shaun Alexander against a stingy Pittsburgh defense opening them up for deep shots downfield. Seattle will win this football game, 29-25.”
Lincoln Kennedy, NFL Network
“Pittsburgh has a strong offensive line that should open great holes for The Bus to drive through. Steelers 21, Seahawks 17.
