Derrick Ward facts for kids
Ward with the Texans in 2010
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | August 30, 1980 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 240 lb (109 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Valley View (Moreno Valley, California) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Ottawa | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2004 / Round: 7 / Pick: 235 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Derrick LaRon Ward (born August 30, 1980) is a former American football player. He was a talented running back in the National Football League (NFL). He was chosen by the New York Jets in the 2004 NFL draft. Ward also played for the New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Houston Texans. He played college football at Fresno State University and Ottawa University.
Derrick Ward won a Super Bowl ring with the Giants in Super Bowl XLII. His team beat the New England Patriots in that big game. He is also the cousin of former Patriots running back J.R. Redmond.
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Derrick Ward's Early Life and High School Football
Derrick Ward grew up in Moreno Valley, California. He went to Valley View High School. There, he was a star player in football. As a senior, he had an amazing season. He ran for 1,100 yards and caught passes for 973 yards. He also scored 17 touchdowns.
His great performance earned him many awards. He was chosen for the All-Riverside County team. He also won All-CIF honors. His team named him Co-MVP, and he was the Sun Belt League Offensive MVP.
College Football Journey
Derrick Ward had a very successful college football career. Overall, he ran the ball 460 times. He gained 3,152 yards and scored 39 touchdowns. He also caught seven passes for 96 yards.
Playing for Fresno State
Ward started his college career at Fresno State University. In 20 games there, he ran for 1,091 yards. He scored 11 touchdowns on 197 carries. He also caught three passes for 49 yards.
In 1999, he earned Freshman All-America honors. This was impressive because he played with a broken right hand. In 2000, a knee injury limited him to only seven games. His time at Fresno State ended in 2001 and 2002. He was unable to play due to academic rules.
Success at Ottawa University
For his final college year in 2003, Ward moved to Ottawa University in Kansas. He had an incredible season there. He set new records for the NAIA. He rushed for 2,061 yards and scored 28 touchdowns. He also averaged 7.8 yards per carry. In ten games at Ottawa, he also caught four passes for 47 yards.
Derrick Ward's Professional NFL Career
Derrick Ward was drafted into the NFL in 2004. He was chosen by the New York Jets in the seventh round. This was the 235th pick overall. However, the Jets released him on September 5, 2004.
Time with the New York Giants
Ward joined the New York Giants in 2004. He had a strong season in 2007. He rushed for 602 yards and scored three touchdowns. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry.
In 2008, the Giants re-signed him. That season, Ward and his teammates Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw were a powerful running back group. Fans jokingly called them "Earth (Jacobs), Wind (Ward), and Fire (Bradshaw)."
On December 21, 2008, Ward had an amazing game. He ran for 215 yards against the Carolina Panthers. This helped the Giants win in overtime and secure home-field advantage for the playoffs. He finished the 2008 season with 1,025 rushing yards. This made him and Brandon Jacobs one of the few pairs of teammates to each rush for over 1,000 yards in a single season. Their success was also due to the great blocking from the Giants' offensive line.
Playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
On March 2, 2009, Ward signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He signed a four-year contract. In the 2009 season, he rushed 114 times for 409 yards. He also scored 1 touchdown. The Buccaneers released him on August 31, 2010.
Final Years with the Houston Texans
Ward then signed with the Houston Texans on September 4, 2010. He played for the Texans until 2011. On July 3, 2012, Derrick Ward announced his retirement from professional football.
