Jihad Ward facts for kids
Ward with the Oakland Raiders in 2016
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| No. 52 – Minnesota Vikings | |||||||||||
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | May 11, 1994 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 285 lb (129 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Edward W. Bok Technical (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) |
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| College: |
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| NFL Draft: | 2016 / Round: 2 / Pick: 44 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of 2024 | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
Jihad Ward (/dʒɪˈhɑːd/ JIH-hahd; born May 11, 1994) is an American professional football player. He plays as a linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football at the University of Illinois.
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Early Life and High School Football
Jihad Ward grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He went to Edward W. Bok Technical High School. He did not start playing football until his second year of high school.
He first played as a wide receiver and a safety. Later, in his junior year, he became a defensive end. This is a player who tries to stop the other team's offense. He was recognized for his skills, earning "All-City" honors in 2010 and 2011. Besides football, he also played basketball.
College Football Journey
To improve his school grades, Ward first attended Globe Institute of Technology for two years. In 2013, he played in 7 games. He made 26 tackles and had 2 sacks. A tackle is when you stop an opponent with the ball. A sack is when you tackle the quarterback before they can throw the ball.
In 2014, he moved to the University of Illinois. He became a starting defensive end in his fourth game there. That year, he made 51 tackles and 3 sacks. He also recovered 4 fumbles, which means he picked up the ball after an opponent dropped it. He also forced 2 fumbles and defended one pass.
In his final year at Illinois, he started all 12 games. He played both defensive end and defensive tackle. A defensive tackle plays more in the middle of the defensive line. He recorded 53 tackles and 1.5 sacks. He also forced one fumble and recovered another. In one game against the University of Iowa, he made a career-high 11 tackles.
Over his two years at Illinois, he had a total of 104 tackles and 5.5 sacks.
Professional NFL Career
Before joining the NFL, experts thought Ward would be chosen in the second or third round of the draft. They noted his athletic ability and his size. He could play different defensive positions. However, they also saw him as a player who needed to get stronger.
Ward was chosen by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft. He was the 44th player picked overall. He had a knee injury that needed surgery, which might have caused him to be picked a bit later.
Oakland Raiders (2016–2017)
In his first year with the Raiders in 2016, Ward played in all 16 games. He started 13 of those games and made 30 tackles. In 2017, he had surgery on his left foot. This injury limited him, and he only played in five games that season.
Dallas Cowboys (2018)
In April 2018, the Raiders traded Ward to the Dallas Cowboys. This means the Cowboys gave the Raiders a player in exchange for Ward. He was later released by the Cowboys in September 2018.
Indianapolis Colts (2018–2019)
The Indianapolis Colts signed Ward in September 2018. He was later moved to the active roster. However, he was placed on injured reserve in October 2018 due to an ankle injury. Even though he only played in six games in 2018, he managed to get three sacks. He was released by the Colts in October 2019.
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Baltimore Ravens (2019–2020)
In October 2019, Ward signed with the Baltimore Ravens. He played in 14 games that season and recorded one sack. He re-signed with the Ravens in March 2020. During the 2020 season, he played in ten games. He had three sacks, 16 total tackles, and defended two passes.
Jacksonville Jaguars (2021)
Ward signed a one-year contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars in March 2021. He played in all 17 games for the Jaguars that season. He started one game and recorded two sacks and 32 total tackles.
New York Giants (2022–2023)
In March 2022, Ward signed with the New York Giants. He played in all 17 games and started 11 of them. He had a career-high 43 tackles and three sacks that year. He signed with the Giants again in March 2023. In this season, he played in all 17 games and started nine. He achieved another career-high with five sacks.
Minnesota Vikings (2024–Present)
Jihad Ward signed with the Minnesota Vikings in March 2024. He continues his professional football career with them.
Personal Life
Jihad Ward is a Muslim. He has explained that his name, Jihad, is common where he grew up in Philadelphia. He has said that the meaning of his name is often misunderstood.
