Hines Ward leads Steelers 2026 countdown to kickoff: Day No. 86
· Yahoo Sports
The Pittsburgh Steelers' countdown to kickoff continues to roll on ahead of the 2026 NFL regular season, with fans needing to wait only 86 more days until the Steel City brand of football hosts the Atlanta Falcons on September 13.
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In the spirit of the countdown, we at Steelers Wire will take a look at the history of the No. 86 jersey and analyze which players wore it best.
Steelers current No. 86 wearer: N/A
There is no current wearer of No. 86 on the Steelers' roster, and for good reason, as the last to don the number was arguably the greatest wide receiver in team history.
Last five Steelers to wear No. 86
- Hines Ward, 1998-2011
- Mike Adams, 1997
- John Farquhar, 1996
- Eric Green, 1990-1994
- Preston Gothard, 1985-1988
Best No. 86 in Steelers history: WR Hines Ward
Arguably one of the most selfless wide receivers in NFL history, Hines Ward is the greatest Steeler to ever wear No. 86.
Ward, selected by the Steelers with the 92nd overall pick in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft, went on to play 14 seasons with Pittsburgh, recording 1,000 catches for 12,083 receiving yards and 85 touchdowns in 217 games.
A two-time Super Bowl champion, the Super Bowl XL MVP, a four-time Pro Bowler, and a three-time Second-Team All-Pro, Ward is the best Steeler to ever wear No. 86, and it isn't even close.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers 2026 countdown to kickoff: Best and current wearer of No. 86