Wide receiver Hines Ward's career with the Steelers has come to an end, and throughout the early evening Wednesday, Twitter was abuzz with reports that Ward's release had less to do with money than with the Steelers being of the opinion that he's washed up. This little tidbit from the Post-Gazette would seem to confirm those reports.
Ward, who had two years left on his contract at a $4 million annual salary, was never offered a chance to take a pay cut, a source close to Ward told the Post-Gazette. That would indicate the Steelers' decision was based purely on their assessment of him as a player.
Ward's production diminished in 2011, by which point it was clear that not only Mike Wallace but also Antonio Brown were better players. It's unclear at this point whether Ward's career is over, but the Steelers' determination that it wasn't worth having him back at any cost doesn't bode well for his future elsewhere in the NFL.
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