have an ACL in one of his legs, his value dropped. The Buccaneers chose to draft Jacquez Green (34th overall) and the Colts chose Jerome Pathon (32nd overall) instead, both wide receivers. Pittsburgh Steelers 1998 season Ward was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round (92nd overall) of the 1998 NFL Draft. On July 20, 1998, the Steelers signed him to a three-year, $885,000 contract. Ward began his rookie season as the fourth receiver on the Steelers' depth chart. He played in his first career game on September 6, 1998, against the Baltimore Ravens, catching a 12-yard pass from Kordell Stewart. During a Week 10 contest against the Green Bay Packers, he caught a season-high 2 passes for 56 yards. Although he appeared in every game during his first season, he finished with only 15 receptions for 246 receiving yards. 1999 season In 1999, he saw more action after former starting wide receiver Charles Johnson departed for Philadelphia during the off-season. He began the season as the starting wide receiver in the season opener against the Cleveland Browns. Ward caught his first career touchdown from Mike Tomczak and finished the game with a total of 3 catches for 51 yards. On October 10, 1999, he had 6 receptions for 67 receiving yards, and caught a touchdown from Kordell Stewart. In Week 12, he accounted for a season-high 7 receptions and 89 receiving yards, and caught a 34-yard touchdown in a 20–27 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. During the first quarter of a Week 14 matchup against the Ravens, Ward caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from Jerome Bettis. Ward finished his second season with 61 catches, 638 receiving yards, and 7 touchdowns in 16 games and 14 starts. 2000 season He began his third season with Pittsburgh, making 2 receptions for 20 yards in the Steelers' home opener against the Baltimore Ravens. On September 17, 2000, he received his first start of the season at the Browns and had 5 receptions for 75 receiving yards. In a Week 7 win over Cincinnati, he accumulated a season-high 91 receiving yards on 2 catches, while scoring a 77-yard touchdown, his first of the season. On December 10, 2000, he caught a season-high 6 passes for 64 receiving yards in a 10–30 loss at the New York Giants. In his last season under offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, Ward finished with a total