'Dancing With The Stars' Finale: Hines Ward's Partner Kym Johnson Talks Injury, Chemistry

Kym Johnson and Hines Ward will learn Tuesday night whether they've won the Mirror Ball Trophy, but just getting to the "Dancing With The Stars" finale was a victory for the Australian pro; with a few more inches of bad luck, she wouldn't have been dancing at all.

In a new interview with Esquire Magazine, Johnson spoke about a fall that nearly cost her much more than a chance to win it all -- she and Ward tied for the top score with Chelsea Kane on Monday night's show -- as well as her chemistry with her pro football playing partner. Turns out, she can relate to him at hte moment.

"Naturally I've had a few injuries, but this season's was really the scariest injury that I've ever encountered -- falling on my neck," she said. "I'm very lucky to have escaped with what I did. I kind of fell just the right way to miss breaking my neck, and these last couple of weeks have been quite crazy with therapy and stuff. I feel like a football player at the moment."

Oh, and speaking of football player, Johnson says that she's developed quite the relationship with Ward, even if he refuses to wear frills or take off his shirt.

"Spending that much time with someone can do that for you. With Hines, I've got a friendship now for life. Everyone I've danced with I'm still really good friends with," Johnson revealed. I mean, you do spend eight hours a day together, for a good thirteen weeks. It's a lot of time with two people working toward one common goal. It does make you bond."

If that's the case, stars like Jerry Springer, Joey Fatone, Mark Cuban and David Hassellhoff had an easy choice when it came to last night's vote.

For more, click over to Esquire.

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Comments

[zona9]

05:34 AM on 05/26/2011

That fall was terrifying to watch. The full weight of an NFL football player basically came down on her tiny neck. Really awful! She is very lucky.

[holyghostie]

10:23 PM on 05/25/2011

She looks good enough to be a Fox talking head.

[littlebrowngirl]

07:33 PM on 05/25/2011

Mark thought he was showcasing himself instead of his partner. I still think Hines And Kim won hearts. Mark wanted it too bad for himself and hurt his partner's chances with his attitude. I hope kym and Hines become a couple. They are so adorable together.

[tulipcat216]

12:13 PM on 05/25/2011

Had Mark Ballas been showcasing his partner, instead of performing his blatanat "tricks", they probably would have won. Chelsea is clearly the better dancer and deserved to win. I'm certainly not unhappy that Hines and Kym won---they were wonderful, too.

Kirstie shouldn't have been in the final three. I'm glad she lost weight and improved her dancing skills, but there were better dancers than she.

[EvasDaddy]

06:14 PM on 05/25/2011

Glad someone else recognized that. Ballas was totally focused on HIS performance, using Chelsea Kane as his foil

He likely recognized her innate talent at the outset, and realized he had a chance to win the big one. Because she was so good, he figured he was in.

Chelsea paired with any other pro would have taken the trophy.

[dessertsfirst]

08:30 PM on 05/25/2011

good insight and observation...
Mark forgot about the joy in dancing, all he could seem to think about was the anticipated joy in winning. and poor Chelsea had no clue she was being set up. it became more about winning than having fun, and connecting w/ the audience.

[conservicide]

05:31 AM on 05/25/2011

awesome she is.

[aquarius2]

02:53 AM on 05/25/2011

Kym appears to be genuinely nice. I am glad she didn't have neuro damage. I would like to ask her------how long are your legs. I swear she has the longest legs (and nicest) legs I have ever seen.

[robjh1]

12:58 AM on 05/25/2011

I am glad she is ok. That was a serious fall.

[roads]

12:00 AM on 05/25/2011

Congrats Hines and Kym for winning DWTS !! You can't stop the Steeler Nation !!

[littlebrowngirl]

10:16 PM on 05/24/2011

I hope Kym And Hines get together. They are adorable together.

[LiberalBuzz]

10:16 PM on 05/24/2011

I'd rather see her in Transformers 3 than the airhead they picked.

[Sencbull]

10:01 PM on 05/24/2011

She is hot. Dump that over-hyped Steeler, and just let her dance by herself

[kapalabhati]

06:05 AM on 05/25/2011

Overhyped Steeler?
Oh, you mean the four time all-pro S.B. MVP and future HOFer? Yeah, what an "almost ran."

[EvasDaddy]

06:16 PM on 05/25/2011

Overhyped and universally admired. Not a bad gig.

[Ohsherri]

08:52 PM on 05/24/2011

Kym fell on her neck at the end of the week....and magically appeared
fine and danced in time for the following week.
That gave us a whole weekend to hear about "the fall" and to see her on a stretcher.

Now that wasn't planned was it? LOL!!!!

[hilaritee]

10:30 PM on 05/24/2011

pro athletes play hurt all of the time....dancers are no different.

[Pennsylvanianne]

11:09 PM on 05/24/2011

No, Kym did not appear fine. She was shown practicing in a neck brace. I doubt Hines could cry on cue. He's a football player, not an actor. His tears of regret were genuine. But never mind. Kym and Hines WON!! Congrats to both of them.

[lizmckenzie55]

07:28 PM on 05/24/2011

Kym is not only a beauty but just so darn nice it's hard not to like her.

[Pennsylvanianne]

08:09 PM on 05/24/2011

Very nice and very classy lady. She's so elegant on the dance floor. Was a fan of Hines Ward before this season of DWTS; I've become a fan of hers, too. I hope she'll completely recover from that injury. They keep replaying video of the accident, and it's painful to watch.

[CammyV]

07:15 PM on 05/24/2011

I'm hoping that Hines and Kym will win, I think they really compliment each other. I think Chelsea and Mark have more excitement, but Hines is smooth. I'll be ok with either of them though.

[Nicolletta]

07:12 PM on 05/24/2011

When you think about Christopher Reeve and what happened to him and watch that clip of her, she's incredibly lucky.