Ward

LATROBE — Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Bowl wide receiver Hines Ward sat out the team's afternoon workout Tuesday due to a strained left hamstring.

Ward missed the practice a day after returning to workouts for the first time in more than two weeks. The reigning Super Bowl MVP was out since Aug. 4 and missed the first two preseason games. He left Monday's practice early when he felt a twinge in the hamstring.

"It is frustrating because I am doing everything (team medical staff) is asking me to do, but it's not healing up the way I want and the recovery time is not what I want it be," Ward said. "This is preseason. You have to be smart about it. I don't want to keep re-aggravating it."

Ward had targeted Friday's preseason game in Philadelphia to make his return to game action, but he conceded that appears unlikely. Ward said he would want to go through an entire day's workout pain-free before playing in a game.

Today would be his last chance.

Ward said he is not worried the injury is severe or will turn chronic.

The Steelers' trainers called the Carolina Panthers' staff for advice, according to Ward. Carolina receiver Steve Smith has been out with a hamstring injury most of training camp.

"It's a real frustrating injury, as we're seeing around the league," Steelers coach Bill Cowher said. "It's really very hard to set any definitive (recovery) time for these things.

"He came out yesterday and did some work. I don't think he set himself back, but we have to be careful about this, take it day to day and make sure — as I told him — we go through the process, and hopefully we won't re-injure it or set him back."