We’ve all seen the cheap shots Hines Ward has put on the Ravens throughout the years, even Ed Reed called him out on it this season. On Saturday, the Jets started talking smack about Ward’s dirty play.

According to ESPN New York, Jets defensive coordinator Mike Pettine called Ward “the toughest player in the league, when no one’s looking.” Antonio Cromatie put a plan in action to limit the cheap shots from the cheap shot artist. “Just tell [him] if he do it again you’re gonna kick his ass,” Cromartie said.

New York safety Eric Smith feared a letter from the league for what he wants to do to keep Ward in line. “If I finish what I said and then do what I planned on doing, I’m going to get fined,” he said.

Smith also acknowledged the cheap shots that Hines put on the Ravens earlier in the season.

“We saw some of those plays, like in the Ravens game, he’s out there hitting Dawan Landry in the back, he came across and hit Ray Lewis in the back,” Smith said. “Ed Reed was 30 yards downfield and he’s going down and hitting him. It’s just unnecessary things like that that make you mad as a defender.”


Safety James Ihedigbo defined the cheap shots that Ward puts on players every week. He said hitting a guy like Ward does face to face makes you a tough player. “But if you hit someone in their back when they’re pursuing a play or they’re not even looking, that’s a cheap shot,” he said. Of course, everyone knows Ward chooses the latter.

Why is it that Ward chooses to wait until players have their backs turned to put on a vicious hit? Cromartie told SNY that Ward is not “man enough” to put on those shots when the players are looking.