Scott Brown of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward isn't letting his age or the Steelers' tumultuous off-season lower his expectations heading into the 2010 season.

"It seems like every year we won the Super Bowl, nobody gave us a chance to win the Super Bowl, and when everybody thought we were going to win it, we didn't make the playoffs," Ward said. "We don't buy into all that stuff. Every year we know we have a legitimate chance of making the playoffs. There's teams in the league that can't say that, can't say they have a legitimate chance of winning the Super Bowl. Every year, we have the core group of guys that can get it done."

According to Brown, Ward hasn't ruled out playing beyond 2013, the final year of his restructured contract, either.

"I understand that perception," Ward said of his advancing age affecting his performance. "That doesn't mean that I can't play football. People are so quick to bury us and put us in an old folks' home like we can't play. I still caught 95 balls (in 2009). How can you explain that? Next year if I only catch 40 balls then you have a legitimate story to write."