ATHENS — It’s homecoming at the University of Georgia, so alumni from all over the country will be flocking into town. Hines Ward, one of the great Bulldogs of all time, will be among them.
While he can’t wait to watch his alma mater’s undefeated and two-time national champion football team – coached by his close friend and former teammate Kirby Smart – it’s a business trip for Ward. The four-time Pro Bowler and two-time Super Bowl champion is a spokesman for Fairfield by Marriott and will be promoting it in something they’re calling the “Home Field Advantage” tailgate before Saturday’s game between No. 2 Georgia and No. 12 Missouri at Sanford Stadium (3:30 p.m. CBS).
Fairfield by Marriott has been designated “the new official hotel of the NCAA.” To celebrate that distinction, they’re setting up a tailgate on the north lawn of UGA’s Tate Student Center on Saturday, and complimentary coffee, pancakes and waffles will be offered to Georgia fans.
“For me, this is where it all started,” said Ward, who grew up in Forest Park before becoming a star player for the Bulldogs. “The state of Georgia is where my football career began. Some of my best years were at the University of Georgia, man; I loved everything about it. It helped me become a man on my own for the first time. So, I’m super excited to be able to come back for the first time in a long time.”
Ward wasn’t sure the last time he attended a Georgia home game, but it’s been “a while.” He maintains residences in Atlanta and San Antonio while also frequenting Pittsburgh, where he played 14 seasons from 1998-2011, earned Super Bowl MVP honors and once owned businesses. Ward also is a father of four, and one of his sons attends Georgia Tech.
“He’s an engineer,” Ward said. “He’s a bright kid, and I’m super proud of him. But I told him, I can’t put on Georgia Tech gear. I will not be seen in that.”
Meanwhile, Ward has had stints as an actor and entertainer, winning Season 12 of “Dancing with the Stars” with partner Kym Johnson and accepting some secondary roles in films and TV shows. He also tried his hand as a football analyst for NBC Sports and “Sunday Night Football.”
But lately, Ward has been focused on football. He is head coach and general manager of the San Antonio Brahmas of the XFL. That coaching position follows stints with the Steelers (2017, intern), New York Jets (2019-20, offensive assistant) and Florida Atlantic as wide receivers coach (2021, wide receivers coach).
That leads to the natural question of if or when he might consider working with Smart and the Bulldogs. He signed with UGA in the same 1994 recruiting class as Smart and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo.
“Whenever he needs me, I’m there,” Ward said of Smart. “I’ll quit whatever job I’ve got to go back and be a part of Bulldog Nation. Being a Georgia man, it’s great to see the success Kirby’s having. I’m super-proud of him. He’s spent a lot of years in the coaching ranks and to be able to coach back where it all started and bring back national championships, I couldn’t be happier for him. …
“It’s all about timing, right? It’s in God’s hands. But that would be the ultimate dream job for me. But I’m happy either way.”
Whether the Bulldogs contend for another championship might be contingent upon what happens Saturday against the Tigers. Georgia (8-0, 5-0 SEC) is posted as a 15.5-point favorite against Missouri, which saw the Bulldogs come back from a 14-point deficit for a 26-22 win last year in Columbia.
“Every game’s a big game this time of year,” Ward said. “You can’t afford to lose any. But Kirby will have those guys ready. There’s nothing like homecoming, and I’m sure they’ll put on a good show. I see the Georgia Bulldogs winning this one in a big way.”
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