Hines Ward, in his eighth year of eligibility, will once again not make the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He’s not yet even been a finalist.

This isn’t an outrage, nor would it be outrageous if Ward made it. The former Pittsburgh Steelers wideout defines being borderline.

Three receivers are finalists: Torry Holt, Andre Johnson and Reggie Wayne.

All have at least 1,300 more receiving yards than Ward. Johnson and Wayne have more catches. All made first-team All-Pro at least once. Ward never did.

Ward won two Super Bowls and was a Super Bowl MVP. Holt and Wayne won Super Bowls. Johnson did not.

Ward was a great postseason player: 88 catches for 1,181 yards and 10 touchdowns in 18 games. Of this year’s finalists, only Wayne had comparable playoff numbers.

Ward is known as football’s best blocking receiver ever. Nobody outside Pittsburgh cares about that. Ward’s decidedly excellent and dedicated blocking might have earned the Steelers 100 extra yards per season, probably less. That’s chump change.

A rule change was necessitated by Ward’s vicious style of crackback blocking: Blindside blocks may not be administered to the head or neck of a defender using the blocker’s helmet, forearm or shoulder. But should Ward have bouquets thrown his way because a dirty play he perfected got outlawed?

Ward had lots of intangibles that Steelers fans romanticize.

But intangibles don’t get you in the Hall of Fame. Numbers do. Ward’s come up just slightly short.

An argument can be made for Ward vs. Andre Reed: Reed had 1,115 more receiving yards but 49 less catches. Reed never won a Super Bowl, losing four. It’s a close call between the two.

Both are borderline. Reed is in, Ward isn’t. That’s not outrageous. It’s a judgment call.

Ward is the Steelers’ fourth-best receiver ever behind Antonio Brown, John Stallworth and Lynn Swann. Stallworth and Swann are in the Hall of Fame. Brown seems like a lock unless his insanity blocks him. Brown’s prime likely trumps his considerable nuttiness.

If you’re trying to win, you’d rather have Ward than Brown. Ward was a big reason his Steelers won. Brown was a big reason his Steelers didn’t. But that’s not part of the criteria. Rightly or wrongly, it got boiled down to numbers long ago.

Ward’s best chance to make the Hall of Fame might come years from now, if an old-timey committee decides to recognize Ward’s old-school approach. Because he’s a “real football player.” Like with 2020’s Centennial Class, which mopped up borderline candidates previously overlooked. (That’s when Steelers coach Bill Cowher got in.)

It’s tough to get mad about Ward’s exclusion. Except you are. Ward is, too, no doubt. This is a big deal to Ward, even more than with most.

Ward had a great career. He won two rings. Compiled stats and individual honors. Made a lot of money. Enjoyed football’s ancillary benefits. Steelers fans adore him.

Why can’t that be enough?

That’s become a problem with Halls of Fame. If you might make it, but don’t, it seems like you failed. Like you got disrespected.

That reflects society’s all-or-nothing mentality. If you’re not first, you’re last.

The bar has been lowered, too. Lots of mediocrity has been enshrined, be it with baseball, basketball, football, hockey, rock and roll or AVN.

Halls of Fame have been politicized, especially baseball’s. Everybody’s on the lookout for an agenda.

If Ward’s not in by now, he won’t be. Unless the old-timey committee comes through someday.

Ex-Steelers linebacker James Harrison didn’t make it, either. He’s in his second year of eligibility. Like Ward, Harrison got knocked out at the semifinalist level.

The argument for Harrison might be better than the one for Ward.

Harrison had a short prime but was football’s best defensive player for a spell. He was Defensive Player of the Year once, first-team All-Pro twice. His 100-yard interception return in Super Bowl XLIII might be the greatest play in NFL history. Like Ward, he won two rings.

But, also like Ward, Harrison is borderline. Those who are borderline have no real gripe.

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