Hines Ward Rips Former Steelers WR Chase Claypool: 'Needs to Grow Up'
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers received the 32nd pick in the 2023 NFL Draft for their former second-round wide receiver Chase Claypool. The move could help the Chicago Bears in the future, but with one year left on his rookie contract, early indications favor Pittsburgh as the trade's winner.
One former Steelers wideout agrees, but says it's not the talent that's holding Claypool back from being a star in the NFL.
Claypool said before the 2022 season that he believes he's a top-three wide receiver in the league. Not because of what he's done but because of what he's capable of doing. A rocky 2022 campaign left the door open for criticism about the tweet, including words from Pittsburgh legend Hines Ward.
Ward appeared on Chat Sports to discuss a number of topics, including his thoughts on Claypool.
"He's very talented. ...He is everything you want in a wide receiver," Ward said. "With Chase, it became more about Chase and less about the team."
Ward continued to talk about how, physically, Claypool is exactly what a team is looking for in a wide receiver - and that wanting the ball all the time isn't a bad thing for a wideout.
"I love receivers who want the ball. I don’t want a receiver who doesn’t want the ball," Ward said. "But you have to do it in the confinements of the aspect of the team. It’s about the team first, and if you just keep working on your craft, it’ll eventually get better"
Coming into the league, that's the exact reason why his expectations were so high - no one could see a downside of a player who looked the part as much as the Notre Dame grad.
But, at the end of the day, there's a clear reason why Claypool isn't working out, according to Ward, and that's himself. And his best advice for the young athlete.
"He needs to grow up a little bit," Ward said.
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