Just six days shy of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first game of the season, wide receiver Hines Ward finally landed a big money deal that would make Jerry Maguire proud. His four-year contract extension is rumored to be as much as $25.8 million, with an additional signing bonus worth around $10 million. This means that Ward will most likely be able to fulfill his dream of retiring with the Steelers.

“I look good in black and gold,” said Ward. “With the contract, it’s going to make me work even harder.”

The 29-year-old, who has spent all of his seven seasons in the NFL with the Steelers, held out from the start of training camp, waiting for the contract extension that President Art Rooney promised to make a priority last year. Although a perennial Pro Bowler and on track to become the franchise’s receptions leader, Ward’s salary barely broke into the top 40 of NFL receivers. So Ward was not the object of criticism like other high-profile hold-outs — that’s you, Terrell Owens — for his negotiation tactic, and Ward even had the support of his teammates. The Steelers, however, stuck to their policy of only discussing contracts with players present at training camp. When Ward finally arrived after 15 days, he said it was to honor that policy, although sustaining an injury before a new contract could have yielded him nothing.

Now, three games into the season, Ward already has four touchdowns. Looks like he’s out to prove he’s worth every penny — er, million.