"This game is almost like a playoff game," Ward told NBC's Bob Costas. "It's almost a 'must' win. So, I can see some players or some teammates kind of questioning like, 'Well, it's just a concussion. I've played with concussions before. I would go out there and play.' So, it's almost like a 50-50 toss-up in the locker room. You know, should he play, shouldn't he play. It's really hard to say.
"I've been out there dinged up. The following week, got right back out there. You know, Ben practiced all week. . . . To find out that he's still having some headaches and not playing and it came down to doctor's didn't feel that they was gonna clear him. . . . It's hard to say, unless you're the person. . . . I've lied to a couple of doctors saying 'I'm straight, I feel good,' when I knew I'm really not straight. But I don't think guys really about the future when they're playing currently in the NFL. . . .
"Trust me, the players, they wanna go out there because these games, you don't get back. You're never gonna get this Baltimore-Pittsburgh game back."