Ward Signs Richest Contract in Steelers' History

Removes threat of a distraction this season
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Hines Ward has come a long way since his single mother, Korean and unable to speak English, worked up to three jobs in Georgia so her young son could experience the American dream.
Ward phoned home to tell his mother that he was about to sign the richest contract in Steelers history.

"She just broke down crying," Ward said. "She told me, 'Who would have thought a kid out of Forest Park would get an opportunity to make money and be able to stay with [one] organization through a career.' I look good in black and gold."

He looks even better in black and gold, dressed in gold.

Yesterday morning, Ward signed a new five-year contract worth $27.5 million, according to sources familiar with the deal. It includes the largest signing bonus in club history, $9 million, plus a $1 million roster bonus that, combined with his salaries in the first three years of the deal, delivers to him the so-called "guaranteed" money he was seeking at $17 million, also the largest in club history.

That $17 million puts him among the top five receivers in guaranteed money in the NFL, according to those same sources.

If he plays the way he has over the past four years, Ward will receive incentives that push the total take to $30 million through 2009.

He receives a $5 million bonus now and another $4 million in early March when he receives another $1 million roster bonus. His annual salaries, starting this year, are $665,000, $2.75 million, $3.585 million, $4.7 million and $5.8 million.

"It was far more than I expected," Ward said.

Agent Eugene Parker and Steelers negotiator Omar Khan stepped up talks by telephone over the weekend as the team's self-imposed deadline approached -- the start of the regular season Sunday.

"We knew the season was approaching," Parker said, "and we wanted to get things resolved prior to that because he didn't want that distraction, nor did the Steelers. I think both sides created a sense of urgency, and we had substantial talks over the last couple of days to get where we are."

Steelers president Art Rooney II poked some fun at himself to open news conference yesterday. Rooney declared, more than a year ago, that getting Ward a new contract would be a "priority" in 2005. As talks dragged on, many accused Rooney of not following through on his promise.
"I guess sometimes priorities take a little longer than others to be fulfilled," he said.

A potential problem in the negotiations developed when Ward held out the first 15 days of training camp to protest the slow pace of negotiations. Kevin Colbert, the Steelers' director of football operations, announced on the first day of camp that the team would no longer negotiate until Ward returned.

Halfback Jerome Bettis helped to convince his friend Ward to report to camp. Talks resumed once he did.

"This is good for the team," Bettis said. "It keeps team morale up. Whenever you get a player of his caliber signed, it shows the commitment the organization has to its players. I think it reinforces a positive message that if you go out there and perform on the field, we'll take care of you. I think that makes a very, very conducive environment for us to go out there and work."

Bettis said the hullabaloo surrounding the negotiations never affected the team.

"You knew it was going to be handled, so you didn't worry about it. Sometimes, some organizations, you're not sure that's the case, but we knew that this was going to get done, it was just a matter of when."

Others will not get done.

Receiver Antwaan Randle El, safety Chris Hope, tight end Jerame Tuman and cornerback Deshea Townsend -- all starters -- will play in the last year of their contracts. They will become unrestricted free agents unless they sign with the team before next March.

"I don't know anything about mine," Randle El said. "It's not going to be addressed."

Ward is the second big contract the Steelers have issued in the past two weeks. Nose tackle Casey Hampton signed a five-year deal Aug. 22 that pays him $22.775 million with a $6.975 million signing bonus, which is now the fourth highest in club history.

Rooney praised Ward and Parker for not allowing the negotiating stalemate to "get ugly and become major distractions to a team."

Ward said he was relieved to have the process done.

"I don't wish this upon anybody," he said.

"It was very hard to go out there with a peace of mind on the field, knowing that you're so close. I can go into the season focused now that the deal got done."

(Ed Bouchette can be reached at ebouchette@post-gazette.com or 412-263-3878.)