DALLAS (AP) - Heisman Trophy winning quarterbacks Eric Crouch, Danny Wuerffel, Vinny Testaverde and Ty Detmer are among first-time candidates on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot this year.
The National Football Foundation mailed ballots with the names of 76 former players and eight coaches to its 12,000 members and current Hall of Famers this week.
After votes are counted, the NFF's 14-member honors court chooses a class of about 15 players and coaches to be inducted.
Testaverde won the Heisman for Miami in 1986. Detmer won the Heisman for BYU in 1990. Wuerffel was Florida's second Heisman winner in 1996. Crouch became the third Nebraska player to win the Heisman in 2001.
Steelers will release WR Hines Ward
PITTSBURGH (AP) - The Steelers will issue a statement on the team's website. "Hines has been an integral part of our success since we drafted him in 1998 and we will forever be grateful for what he has helped us achieve."
Ward will finish his Pittsburgh career with 1,000 catches for release wide receiver Hines Ward.
A four-time Pro Bowl selection, who holds franchise records for receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, Ward, 35, has spent all of his 14 NFL seasons with Pittsburgh.
"We had a conversation today with Hines Ward and informed him that we plan to release him of his contract prior to the start of the 2012 NFL calendar year," Steelers President Art Rooney II said.
Former Colts exec Polian joins ESPN
BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) - Former Colts Vice Chairman Bill Polian has joined ESPN as an NFL analyst.
Polian makes his debut March 12 and will appear throughout the year on several ESPN shows, including SportsCenter.
Polian spent 24 years as an NFL general manager with the Bills, Panthers and Colts. He drafted four-time NFL MVP Peyton Manning and built Indianapolis into a team that went to the playoffs 11 times, won eight division titles, two AFC titles and a Super Bowl.
