The arrow is pointing upwards in the trajectory of the Pittsburgh Steelers offense according to 'slam dunk' Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver, Hines Ward. The two-time Super Bowl winner is excited about the young talent the organization has collected and was impressed with their ability to battle back from a tough start in 2022.
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Steelers legend Hines Ward thinks the team has a very bright future on the unit where he used to be a focal point.
The University of Georgia product joined Chat Sports' Harrison Graham to talk about his new role as head coach of the XFL's San Antonio Bahamas, Mike Tomlin's ability to keep his team focused, even when things looked dire, and his outlook on the current Steelers offense, among other things.
"The Steelers' future is very bright," Ward said on the show. "You look at what George Pickens can do on the outside and the rest of the talented receiving core to go along with Najee Harris. Now you just have to solidify upfront on the offensive line. I'm looking for big things from Pittsburgh next year."
He also says the team is all set up for success because they have Kenny Pickett at the most important position in the game. Ward said having more familiarity in year two will help Pittsburgh to continue the progress they showed through the second half of the season.
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Hines Ward on Steelers Talk by Chat Sports discussing the rise of the Pittsburgh offense in 2023.
"The more he gets comfortable with the playbook, the more he gets comfortable with the speed of the game, I think Pickett will be just fine." he said. "He's gonna be alright. I like him. He's a good one."
Ward: Unfair for Steelers Fans to Compare Pickett to Ben Roethlisberger
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Sports fans love to compare the new kid on the block to guys they're familiar with. So the comparisons between Pickett and the man he was drafted to replace, Ben Roethlisberger, are natural, especially when both came off the bench in their rookie seasons to take the starting job. But Ward says Steeler Nation needs to pump the breaks when it comes to comparing the University of Pittsburgh product and the future Hall of Famer:
"I think it's unfair to compare Kenny to Ben's situation. When Ben came into the league, we had a veteran group with every position loaded with guys that were already Pro Bowlers or All-Pros. When Ben came into it, it was really just Ben don't mess it up," he said with a laugh. "The Steelers are so young, they're very talented, but they're so young."
While the youth of the squad made for a tougher challenge in year one, Ward says the growth the unit showed as a collective reflects well on the New Jersey native.
"How the season went and how they came together, I think it's a testament to Kenny," he said. "Grabbing the bull by the horns, going out there competing each and every week and getting better."
The potential in the young group is obvious and Ward certainly is a strong believer. The Steelers have put themselves in a position to watch all their young guys on offense grow up together in the league.
So, Steeler Nation, do you agree with Ward that this group on offense has the potential to break out next year? What do you think they need to do to continue the progress shown in the second half of the season? Let us know in the comments or on social media.
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