Steelers Hall of Fame linebacker Jack Ham hospitalized

Jack Ham, the Hall of Fame linebacker who played on all four of the Pittsburgh Steelers' Super Bowl champions in the 1970s, has been hospitalized, SB Nation's Behind the Steel Curtain reported, in a story carried by Yahoo Sports, late Saturday night.

The report did not say why Ham was admitted or give an update on his condition. No other details had been confirmed publicly when this story was published. The Terrible Towel Line will update when the family or the team says more.

The news reaches a fan base that still counts Ham among the cornerstones of the franchise. He was a six-time All-Pro and entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988. Along with the rest of the Steel Curtain defense, he set the standard that later Pittsburgh linebacker groups have been measured against. Few players have been as closely tied to the era that turned the Steelers from an afterthought into the league's model franchise.

The news comes during a strong week for the current team. Pittsburgh is 6-2 and has won four straight, most recently a 27-6 home win over the Cleveland Browns. The streak has been built on defense in a way Ham would recognize: over the four wins, the Steelers have given up 57 points, about 14 per game. They held the Saints to 10 and the Browns to six. The offense has scored 103 points in that span, and for the season Pittsburgh has outscored opponents 180-144.

What it means for Cincinnati

Ham's hospitalization has no bearing on the depth chart, but it will be on people's minds as the Steelers start preparing for a Sunday night trip to Cincinnati on November 15, on NBC. The two teams have already met once. Pittsburgh won that game 30-27 at home, one of three one-score results in the Steelers' first eight games.

The early part of the season looked shakier. Pittsburgh lost 20-3 at New England, the only game in which the offense failed to reach 16 points. The Steelers also dropped a 27-24 decision in Cleveland before turning things around. Since then they have gone 2-0 away from home or neutral, counting the 26-19 win at Tampa Bay. A win at Paycor Stadium would give them a season sweep of the Bengals and keep their division lead in hand going into the second half.

The matchup leans on the same strength the Steelers have been showing. Cincinnati put 27 points on Pittsburgh in the first meeting, which is still tied for the most the Steelers have allowed this season. That makes the rematch a real test of whether the defense's recent run holds up against an offense that has already moved the ball on it.

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