Former Denver Broncos safety T.J. Ward of San Francisco, California has announced his retirement from the National Football League at age 34 on Wednesday according to Jeff Legwold of ESPN. Ward played eight NFL seasons with the Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2010 to 2017.
Ward did not play during the 2018 and 2019 NFL seasons. He returned to the NFL in 2020, and was on the Arizona Cardinals practice squad before being released.
In 107 games, Ward had 607 combined tackles (458 solo tackles and 149 assisted tackles), 29 tackles for a loss, 19 quarterback hits, eight interceptions for 211 yards and one touchdown, 44 pass deflections, 10 forced fumbles, 8.5 sacks, and four fumble recoveries for 53 yards and another major score. Ward’s two touchdowns came with the Browns in the 2013 NFL regular season. The interception return for a touchdown of 44 yards came in a 37-24 Browns win over the Buffalo Bills on October 3, 2013.
Ward’s most memorable game was probably Super Bowl 50. In a 24-10 Broncos win over the Carolina Panthers, Ward had seven tackles, one pass deflection, one fumble recovery for five yards and an interception. Yes, linebacker Von Miller was named the Super Bowl 50 Most Valuable Player, but Ward’s performance in the biggest game of the year was exemplary as well.
In addition to winning the Super Bowl in 2016, Ward was selected to the Pro Bowl while with the Browns in the 2013 season and the Broncos in the 2014 season. In college football, Ward played for Oregon University. He was then selected in the second round, 38th overall by the Browns in the 2010 NFL Draft.
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