Hines Ward Hines Edward Ward , Jr . ( born March 8 , 1976 ) is a retired American football wide receiver who played fourteen seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League ( NFL ) . He played college football at the University of Georgia . The Pittsburgh Steelers chose him in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft , and became the team ' s all - time leader in receptions , receiving yardage and touchdown receptions . Ward was voted MVP of Super Bowl XL , and upon retirement was one of only eight NFL players to have 1 , 000 or more career receptions . Born in Seoul , South Korea to a Korean mother and an African American father , Ward grew up in the Atlanta area . He has become an advocate for the social acceptance of foreigners in Korea , especially mixed - race youth . Aside from his career in the NFL , Ward has appeared in various forms of television and film media , including the reality TV series " Dancing With The Stars " , and a brief cameo in the 2012 film " The Dark Knight Rises " . He is currently a studio analyst for NBC ' s " Football Night in America " . Early life . Ward was born in Seoul , South Korea , to an African American father , Hines Ward Sr . , and Korean mother , Kim Young He ( 김영희 ) . His family moved to Atlanta and East Point , Georgia when Hines Jr . was one , and Hines Sr . went to Germany to serve a tour of duty . The next year Ward ' s parents divorced leaving Ward to live with his mother and then with his paternal grandmother after Hines Sr . convinced a family court that Kim could not raise Hines Jr . independently , because she did not speak English . Ward would later be reunited with his mother at the age of 7 . During this time , Hines Ward Sr . did not support Ward with child support or visit Ward regularly with Ward stating that he talks with his father about once every two years . Ward has stated that he has never reconciled with his father who abandoned him when he was 2 years old . Under the guidance of coach Mike Parris at Forest Park High School in Forest Park , Georgia , Ward showcased his athletic skills as a quarterback , and was two - time Clayton County Offensive Player of the Year . College career . As a wide receiver for the University of Georgia Bulldogs ( 1994 – 1997 ) , Ward ' s 149 career receptions for 1 , 965 yards placed him second in team history . He also played tailback and totaled 3 , 870 all - purpose yards , second only to Herschel Walker in Bulldogs history . In 1996 , Hines had 52 receptions for 900 yards , and also ran 26 times for 170 yards . In 1997 , Hines hauled in 55 passes and scored six TDs , getting All - SEC honors in the process . Ward played some quarterback his sophomore year , and holds Georgia bowl records for pass attempts , pass completions , and passing yards in the 1995 Peach Bowl in which he completed 31 of 59 passes for 413 yards . When he came out of college it was discovered that Ward was missing an anterior cruciate ligament ( ACL ) in his left knee , which he lost during a bicycle accident during childhood . According to a Yahoo ! Sports article , Ward broke his kneecap in the fourth grade and the doctors never accounted for the ligament . He received his bachelor ' s degree in consumer economics from UGA . Professional career . Ward ' s versatility , hands and willingness to block served him well as a professional wide receiver . Since being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft , he earned three team Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) selections . He was also a four - time NFL Pro Bowl selection ( 2001 – 2004 ) . Ward also had a streak of 4 consecutive 1 , 000 yard seasons The streak was broken in the 2005 NFL season during which he missed a game due to injury . In 2002 , he set a Steelers franchise record for receptions ( 112 ) and touchdowns ( 12 ) and was named to his first of two consecutive All - NFL teams . Although he was considered one of the best blocking receivers in the NFL , he was also criticized for habitually hitting defenders on their blind - side . Ward was twice named the NFL ' s dirtiest player , as determined by a Sports Illustrated poll of NFL players ; the most recent was in 2009 . In 2005 , Ward missed the first two weeks of training camp in a holdout for a contract extension that would increase his salary . Ward had considered holding out before camp in 2004 , but had been persuaded by the Steelers that they could work out an extension during the year . Ward eventually showed up on August 15 , 2005 and was on the sidelines for Pittsburgh ' s first preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles that night , though he did not play in that game . On September 5 , 2005 , the Steelers announced that they had reached an agreement on a four - year contract extension worth $ 25 . 83 million with Ward . On November 13 , 2005 , Ward became the Steelers ' all - time leading receiver with his 538th catch against the Browns on ESPN Sunday Night Football surpassing John Stallworth ' s record . The Steelers won 34 - 21 . Ward accumulated 76 receptions , 1 , 064 yards , and eight receiving touchdowns in 14 post - season appearances . On February 5 , 2006 , Ward was named MVP in Super Bowl XL as the Pittsburgh Steelers won 21 - 10 . Ward became the second foreign born player to earn the accolade . Ward scored a 43 - yard touchdown in the fourth quarter , thrown by fellow wide receiver Antwaan Randle El . Overall , Ward had five receptions for 123 yards , one touchdown and one rush for 18 yards . Immediately following Super Bowl XL , Ward was videotaped for the " I ' m Going to Disney World ! " television commercial , adding " . . . and I ' m taking The Bus ! " Ward and Steelers teammate Jerome " The Bus " Bettis appeared in a victory parade at the Magic Kingdom theme park on February 6 along with Emmitt Smith . On December 2 , 2007 , Ward became the Steelers ' all - time touchdown receptions leader with his 64th touchdown reception against the Bengals on Sunday Night Football . Then on December 20 , 2007 , Ward became the Steelers ' all - time receiving yardage leader in a game against the St . Louis Rams . Ward often faced criticism for his style of blocking , particularly for his propensity to hit defenders on their blind - side . During a game on October 19 , 2008 , Ward put a vicious downfield blindside block on rookie Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Keith Rivers . The impact of the block left Rivers with a broken jaw , and caused him to miss the remainder of the 2008 season . Ward was not penalized for this block , nor was he fined by the league as the hit was deemed legal . The league , however , later passed a new rule banning such hits . The so - called " Hines Ward Rule " made a blindside block illegal if the block came from the blocker ' s helmet , forearm or shoulder and lands to the head or neck area of a defender . In a Sports Illustrated poll of NFL players in 2009 , he was voted the " dirtiest player in the NFL . " According to Terrell Suggs of the Baltimore Ravens when the Ravens played the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football that season , the Ravens players placed a bounty on Ward and rookie running back Rashard Mendenhall . Mendenhall left the game with a broken shoulder which ended his season . Ward talked about Suggs ' comments in an interview on " Pardon the Interruption " . Although he held up an NFL policy banning bounties , he thought it was also humorous that they would do it to him . On December 28 , 2008 , Ward caught his 800th NFL reception , extending his record for receptions by a Steeler receiver . Also in this game , Ward achieved his first 1000 yard season since 2004 , finishing with 81 receptions for 1043 yards and 7 touchdowns on the year . In the 2008 Playoffs , Ward recorded 9 receptions for 168 yards . In the 27 - 23 win over Arizona Cardinals at the Super Bowl XLIII , Ward played a supporting role , catching two passes for 43 yards . He played the game with a sprained right MCL . Ward was signed to a four - year , $ 22 million extension by the Steelers on April 25 , 2009 . On September 27 , 2009 , during a game against Cincinnati , Ward ' s four catches for 82 yards earned him 10 , 000 career receiving yards and made him the first wide receiver in Steelers ' history to achieve that milestone . On third - and - two Ben Roethlisberger hit Ward for a 14 - yard gain , giving Ward 10 , 001 career receiving yards . Ward finished the 2009 season with 95 receptions for 1 , 167 yards and 6 touchdowns . In a September 12 , 2010 home game against the Atlanta Falcons , Ward became the first player in Steeler history to surpass 11 , 000 receiving yards . He caught 108 yards worth of passes in that game to pass Hall of Fame Steeler receiver John Stallworth for the most 100 - yard receiving games all - time for the Steelers with his 26th . His 6 catches against the Falcons gave him 901 for his career , making him only the 12th NFL player of all time to surpass 900 career receptions . Ward ' s streak of 186 consecutive games with at least one reception came to an end in a 39 - 26 loss against the New England Patriots in Week 10 of the 2010 season . A short catch by Ward was knocked loose when he was tackled by safeties , Patrick Chung and James Sanders , and was knocked out of the rest of the game ; the Patriots challenged the call , and the pass was ruled incomplete on review , ending the streak . On December 4 , 2011 , in a 35 - 7 home victory against the Cincinnati Bengals , Ward became just the 19th player in NFL history to reach 12 , 000 receiving yards . On January 1 , 2012 , in a game against the Cleveland Browns , Ward caught his 1000th reception , becoming the eighth player in NFL history to do so . On February 29 , 2012 , the Steelers announced their intention to cut and release Ward , which they did two days later . Ward on March 20 , 2012 , announced his retirement from football stating , " Without the support over the past 14 years this game wouldn ' t be the same to me . It wouldn ' t be as fun for me . You guys meant the world to me . The city and this organization means the world to me . So today as sadly as it feels for me right now , I hope it will be a good day for everyone here . " At the time of his retirement , Ward was the last remaining player from the Steelers to have played with the team during the 1990s . In addition , he was also their last player to have played for them in Three Rivers Stadium . Personal . Ward resides in Sandy Springs , Georgia , and has a son named Jaden who he had with his ex - wife Simone Ward . On his upper right arm he has a tattoo of Mickey Mouse in the Heisman pose , just below a tattoo of his name in Korean . Business and media enterprises . Ward co - owned a bar in Pittsburgh ' s South Side called The Locker Room . The bar sustained serious water damage in February 2007 , due to flooding from a malfunctioning boiler , and it was closed for repairs until June of that year . The bar received an insurance settlement of $ 500 , 000 , which subsequently became an issue during a legal dispute between the bar ' s owners . On September 11 , 2007 , co - owner Nicholas Lettieri withdrew the entirety of the bar ' s funds , approximately $ 19 , 000 , from a corporate account , causing it to miss a large number of scheduled payments . The company filed suit for the return of the money , and Lettieri subsequently justified his actions by claiming that the money was owed to him , also voicing the belief that the other co - owners , Ward and Kimberly Pitts , as well as Pitts ' husband , Korry Pitts , had falsified invoices and diverted company funds to their own bank accounts . Company attorney Thomas Castello dismissed Lettieri ' s allegations as " baseless , ridiculous and unfounded , " and the matter currently is before the court . The Locker Room reopened under the name South Side 86 ( because of Ward ' s jersey number ) , and is owned entirely by Ward , who bought out his co owners . Ward hosted the " Hines Ward Show " on Pittsburgh CBS O & O KDKA - TV . from 2006 - 2012 . In 2012 , shortly after announcing his retirement , it was announced that Ward had signed on with NBC Sports to be a football analyst , highlighted by his role on the " Sunday Night Football " pregame show " Football Night in America " . As a figure for social change . In 2006 Ward became the first Korean American to win the Super Bowl MVP award . This achievement threw him into the spotlight of media in South Korea . From April 3 through May 30 , 2006 , Ward returned to his birthplace of Seoul for the first time since his parents moved to the United States when he was one year old . Ward used his celebrity status to arrange " hope - sharing " meetings with multiracial Korean children and to encourage social and political reform . At one hope - sharing meeting , he told a group of children , " If the country can accept me for who I am and accept me for being a Korean , I ' m pretty sure that this country can change and accept you for who you are . " On his final day in Korea , he donated $ 1 million USD to create the Hines Ward Helping Hands Foundation , which the AP called " a foundation to help mixed - race children like himself in South Korea , where they have suffered discrimination . " In January 2007 former Steeler and Pro Football Hall of Fame member , Franco Harris , owner of R Super Foods , honored Ward for his philanthropic efforts by featuring Ward ' s picture and story on boxes of Super Buns . Like Ward , Harris also won a Super Bowl MVP award ( in Super Bowl IX ) , and also is biracial , being of African American and Italian American parentage . In September 2010 , President Barack Obama , appointed Ward as a member of the President ' s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders . DUI arrest . On July 9 , 2011 , Hines Ward was arrested for driving under the influence in DeKalb County , Georgia after being witnessed by a MARTA police officer failing to maintain his lane and subsequently hitting a curb . An officer of the DeKalb County Police Department responded which led to the investigation and Ward ' s arrest . On February 22 , 2012 , the DUI charge was dropped as part of a plea agreement . Ward agreed to plead guilty to reckless driving and received a sentence of one year of probation , 80 hours of community service and a $ 2 , 000 fine . Film and TV appearances . Ward made an appearance as a member of the fictional Gotham Rogues football team in the 2012 film " The Dark Knight Rises " , and will be one of the members of " Team Rachael " in the second season of Food Network ' s " " . He appeared in the 9th episode of the third season of The Walking Dead , appearing as a walker . Dancing with the Stars performance . On May 24 , 2011 , Hines and his partner Kym Johnson won season 12 of the American TV dance competition " Dancing with the Stars " . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > In week 7 , Donnie Burns was the guest judge and scored the dances as well ( first score listed is Burns ' ) .