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Steelers releasing WR Hines Ward

HINES WARD, a four-time Pro Bowler and the Pittsburgh Steelers' recordholder for receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, will be released, the team announced.

(Charlie Riedel/AP)
(Charlie Riedel/AP)Read more

HINES WARD, a four-time Pro Bowler and the Pittsburgh Steelers' recordholder for receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, will be released, the team announced.

"We had a conversation today with Hines Ward and informed him that we plan to release him of his contract prior to the start of the 2012 NFL calendar year," Steelers President Art Rooney II said in a statement on the team's website yesterday. "Hines has been an integral part of our success since we drafted him in 1998, and we will forever be grateful for what he has helped us achieve."

Ward, 35, will finish his Steelers career with 1,000 catches, 12,083 yards and 85 receiving touchdowns. He helped Pittsburgh to three AFC championships, and two Super Bowl titles.

A third-round pick out of Georgia, Ward was the MVP of the Super Bowl in 2006 after leading the Steelers to a 21-10 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. He posted a game-high 123 receiving yards on five receptions with one touchdown.

"He has meant so much to this organization, both on and off the field," Rooney said, "and we appreciate his efforts over the past 14 years."

Last season, Ward's role diminished, as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger developed stronger relationships with Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown.

In other NFL news:

* Former Indianapolis Colts vice chairman Bill Polian has joined ESPN as an NFL analyst. Polian makes his debut March 12 and will appear throughout the year on several ESPN shows, including "SportsCenter.''

Tennis * 

Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer each won in straight sets to advance to the quarterfinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships. Djokovic beat Sergiy Stakhovsky, 7-6 (5), 6-3; Federer defeated Feliciano Lopez, 7-5, 6-3.

* Former top-20 player Alisa Kleybanova said she has completed her treatment for cancer and will play at the Sony Ericsson Open next month. The 22-year-old Russian announced in July that she had contracted Hodgkin's lymphoma. Kleybanova is training in Florida.

Philly File * 

Tom Oropeza has stepped down after five seasons as the head football coach (21-35 record) at Monsignor Bonner High. His 2011 squad advanced to the Catholic AAA final.