Two Steelers snubbed from 2024 Hall of Fame finalists list

The 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2024 were announced on Wednesday night. Two Steelers many believed had a chance to be inducted this year failed to make the cut.

Former WR Hines Ward and LB James Harrison, who were named Modern Era semifinalists in November, will now have to wait until until at least 2025 to potentially join football immortality.

Harrison's omission is less shocking considering it's just the second time he's been a semifinalist, but Ward, who was a semifinalist for the eighth straight year, is long overdue. It's safe to say head coach Mike Tomlin agrees.

"Hines [Ward] is like John Lynch to me. Stats don't tell their story," Tomlin said. "Ask the men who played football against them. Hines was a football player first and a receiver second."

The three receivers who did make the cut are Torry Holt, Reggie Wayne and Andre Johnson. 

Ward played for Pittsburgh, which was a predominantly run-first team, his entire career, and he still finished with impressive numbers, some even better than Holt, Wayne and Johnson.

Ward ended his career with 12,083 receiving yards, which ranks 28th all time, ahead of Hall of Famers Michael Irvin (11,904) and Calvin Johnson (11,619). He also had 1,000 receptions, ranking 14th all time, ahead of Holt (920) and Hall of Famers Randy Moss (982) and Andre Reed (951). Ward's 85 receiving touchdowns rank 19th all time, ahead of Wayne (82), Holt (74) and Johnson (70).

He also produced when it mattered the most, posting 1,181 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in his postseason career. Ward helped win two Super Bowls, which is something the other finalists can't say, and was named the MVP of Super Bowl XL.

To add to his case, the four-time Pro Bowler was arguably one of the best, if not the best, blocking receivers in NFL history.

Many great players have had to wait longer than they should have to finally be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, Ward seems to be joining that group.