Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward used a simple piece of tape on his helmet to stay motivated during training camp. He shared the story on a recent podcast. The approach helped him maintain a rookie mindset each season.
Ward, a third-round draft pick who became a Super Bowl MVP, explained the practice in an interview with Mike DeFabo and Jenna Harner on The Yinziders podcast.
“I tell guys all the time, no matter what we did the following season, we won the Super Bowl, we didn’t have a good year. The next year, at training camp, if you go back and look at any photos, you’ll see a piece of tape that says ‘Ward’ on the front of my helmets,” he said.
The tape served as a reminder to prove himself anew regardless of prior success. Video footage from 2009 at Saint Vincent College shows the tape on his helmet during one of his final seasons.
Ward, now a coach at Arizona State, has applied similar lessons with players including Steelers first-round pick Max Iheanachor.
