Hines Ward and the Top 5 Athlete Performances on Dancing with the Stars

Hines Ward has become the sixth athlete to win Dancing with the Stars.

The show should change its name to Dancing with Athletes because they're always the ones that dominate. Professional athletes have won six out of the 12 seasons. In the seasons that an athlete didn't win, there was always one in the mix to win it in the end.

It makes sense that athletes tend to do better on the show. They are always in great shape, which makes the cardio of dancing much easier. Athletes also just move better. There have been a few older athletes, but even they surprised us with great dance moves.

Football stars haven't had a ton of luck, seeing as Ward is only the second NFL winner out of the nine football players to dance on the show.

Here are the top five athletes to compete on the show.

5. Helio Castroneves

Helio Castroneves wasn't the best dancer on the show, but he won over the fans, and that is all that matters. Helio was the season 5 champion of DWTS.

When you're in the finals on DWTS, you have to do two dances. The judges pick one for you, and then you do a freestyle dance created by your dancing partner.

The freestyle dance is one of the most important dances on the show, and here Castroneves nails it.

It certainly helps he had a fantastic partner, but Helio showed he could move on the show. He had a lively personality that made fans fall in love with him.

4. Emmitt Smith

The first and only football player before Hines Ward to win DWTS was Emmitt Smith. He was the season 3 champion.

Jerry Rice finished second on the season before Smith, and he could really move. However, Emmitt came out and surprised everyone, as even his old legs could still move.

It helps he played running back in the NFL because with dancing you need to have quick feet. Emmitt shows here that he can dance.

3. Apolo Anton Ohno

The first Olympian to ever win the competition was season 4 champion Apolo Anton Ohno.

Ohno was paired with Julianne Hough, which really helped his chances. It also helped that Ohno could dance really well. Judge Bruno Tonioli once said, "[Ohno] looks like he's been dancing all his life."

The two were a great team together because their flow was so smooth. They were the same height, and all their movements just seemed to be in unison. Their chemistry stole the show and made him a winner.

2. Kristi Yamaguchi

Kristi Yamaguchi dances on ice. She had quite the advantage over her opponents because she basically dances for a living anyway, but the only difference is she's on ice skates then.

Yamaguchi had a perfect score of 90 during the three dances of the finals, which is very rare. She was the season 6 champion.

Yamaguchi ended a four-season streak of male winners and started a streak for the female winners. She was also the end of the streak of athlete winners. The show realized athletes dominate the show, which is why Warren Sapp was the main athlete the season after Yamaguchi.

The judges couldn't find things to critique her on in the closing weeks. Yamaguchi was just that good. She turned it up a notch during the finals, which is the reason she won.

She didn't have the personality as most do, but she was a gifted dancer.

1. Hines Ward

Your most recent champion takes the cake for the best athlete to grace the show.

Hines had the total package. He could dance, and he was fun to watch. Hines brought his lively personality to his dances and became the first athlete to win the show since season 8. Perhaps this is the start of a run of athlete winners on DWTS.

Hines overcame an injury to his dancing partner Kym Johnson. She hurt her neck in rehearsal one week, but the two stuck with it and were crowned champions last night.

Hines made the most of his time while the NFL was in a lockout. He ruled the show this year, coming in first or second every week but once. He was also one point off from a perfect score in the finals.

Ward fell short of winning the Super Bowl this year, and he wasn't going to lose out on a big competition once again.

He may not be the best athlete dancer ever, but Ward clearly had the total package for the show.