After Hines Ward broke Keith Rivers' jaw with a nasty blindside block last year, the NFL implemented something called "The Hines Ward Rule", outlawing high blind side hits. Hines Ward won't abide, but he thinks it's pretty cute.
Hines Ward says he won't follow the rule named after him and that he'll continue blocking people high. That's because Hines—who knows a little something about dangerous hits—argues that a high, brain-rattling hit is still safer than a low, knee-shredding hit:
"I'll still hit him. I'll just get fined. There's nothing I can do about it. It's either that or try to hurt somebody. So are you going to fine me, or do you want me to end someone's career? I'd rather take a fine than try to end somebody's career, so I'm not going to change.
The unfortunate thing is me being labeled that, and then the rule change came out, so it's kind of like me being singled out as the dirty guy that's in the league, a dirty offensive player. A wide receiver being dirty - I take that as a compliment.
John Madden agrees.
Hines Ward says he'd deliver crushing hit to Keith Rivers again [AP]