Cleveland Browns star cornerback Denzel Ward has now suffered five confirmed concussions, but he has no plans to walk away from the game of football.
Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported on Friday, August 23, that Ward will carry on with his career, adding that the six-year veteran and three-time Pro Bowler never considered hanging up his cleats due to his injuries.
“Ward plans to continue his NFL career … and if all goes as hoped, he’ll be cleared in time for the opener [September] 8 against the [Dallas] Cowboys,” Cabot wrote. “In fact, his return to the field was never in question.”
Denzel Ward’s Potential Retirement Has Been Topic of Discussion Before
Some in the media began questioning whether Ward should consider retirement after sustaining his fourth concussion late in training camp last summer.
The league will allow players to wear Guardian Caps — which it has already mandated for use among certain position groups during training camp over the past two years — atop their helmets during official games for the first time in 2024.
But the bulky headwear, while touted by the NFL as aiding an offseason reduction in concussions among those who wear it, represents a change in both feel and style that may leave some players less likely to opt for a Guardian Cap despite its potential safety benefits.
“It’s just something getting used to. It’s just something new,” Ward said during training camp in late July, adding that he was not considering wearing a Guardian Cap in-game at that time.”And I know I got a few concussions, but I don’t go out there thinking about the concussions. I did a lot of research over the season and the offseason on concussions and just how to treat them and stuff like that. So yeah, I’m not too concerned about it going out there.”
Ward, 27 years old, has tallied 273 tackles, 76 pass breakups, 15 INTs, 3 forced fumbles and 4 defensive TDs over the last six years, per Pro Football Reference. He contributed a Pro Bowl effort last season to the league’s No. 1 rated defense based on yardage surrendered per game.
In April 2022, Ward signed a five-year contract extension worth $100.5 million that runs through the 2027 campaign.
