Loading ...Former New York Giants running back Derrick Ward has decided to retire from the league after a nine year career. Ward spent three seasons with Big Blue amassing 1,749 rushing yards during that time span. The best year of his career came in 2008, when he rushed for 1,025 yards while averaging 5.6 yards per carry. Ward released a statement via his twitter account a short time ago:
"To all my fans just wanted to let u know its been a great ride the last 9yrs but I'm calling it a career. I thank u all for believing in me!" Ward tweeted.
After being drafted in the seventh-round by the New York Jets in 2004, the Giants signed Ward off their cross-town rival's practice squad during mid-season. It took several years for him to see any significant carries; however, in 2008 he proved himself to be a reliable asset in the backfield. His performance helped Big Blue boast a three-pronged rushing attack along with Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. The trio earned the nickname "Earth, Wind, and Fire."
After Ward's promising 2008 season, he signed a 4 year/ $17 million contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, Ward was cut after only one season in Tampa Bay after rushing for a mere 419 yards in 2009. Raheem Morris, the head coach of the Bucs at the time, blamed Ward's less than stellar performance on poor conditioning.
For the final two seasons of his career, Ward played for the Houston Texans. He backed up Arian Foster and Ben Tate, and saw some significant playing time due to injuries in the Texans' backfield last season.
However, earlier in the offseason, Ward was informed by the Texans that he wasn't going to re-signed by the team because he was not going to be a contributor on special teams. Ward quickly pointed out that during his first four seasons with the New York Giants, he was a regular contributor to Big Blue's special teams units. However, after averaging a career-low 3.4 yards per carry last season, the Texans weren't willing to take a chance.
Giants 101 would like to congratulate Derrick Ward for an outstanding NFL career. It is quite an accomplishment to be drafted in the seventh-round and still manage to stay in the league for nine seasons. We wish him the best of luck in his life after football!
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Meh. He was good as a Giant so good luck going forward, but I don’t really care.
Four things:
1) I am still very sad to hear about JD. Seemed like a very good-hearted guy who was passionate about the Giants and died WAY too young;
2) Osi Umeniyora made himself look good in my eyes with that great tweet about stopping the booing of Tiki, which has always struck me as low-class and unnecessary. Tiki may have screwed up royally off the football field, but my goodness, you’d think he was OJ Simpson the way he is treated around New York. Greatest running back in Giants’ history, carried the team for three years, always ready to do what was necessary, absolutely right in his critiques of Coughlin and Eli AT THE TIME, and then a post-football screw-up that deserves disapproval but is more for his ex-wife to judge than us;
3) Happy Independence Day. Spend part of the day thinking about what a miracle it is that the United States of America was born, survived early years of strife and uncertainty that was probably only survived thanks to the incredible character and legacy of George Washington, made it through a horrific civil war only because of the wisdom and determination of Abraham Lincoln, survived four real economic depressions, the last of which was only survived thanks to the third of this nation’s truly great leaders in FDR, was most responsible for saving Western civilization in two world wars, faced down the USSR that was perhaps the greatest threat to survival of the planet in human history (remember, Stalin thought the deaths of many millions of his own citizens was a “necessary sacrifice” to the march of history and consolidation of his power), and will now survive an economic cataclysm that was certainly in part its own making but would have sent most nations down for the count. The folks who claim America is evil and self-deluding are wrong (yes, yes, I know, Native Americans and slavery, both absolutely and truly horrible, but no more so than what many prior and current civilizations have done, and we are part-way through trying to atone for one and will eventually do something about the other besides the current evils done to Native Americans that remain a national disgrace despite having been exactly what every other advanced civilization has done to its native populations). The people who claim we are in decline are wrong (in fact, if you look carefully you will see that we are most likely now just starting our next phase of ascendance as the rest of the world struggles mightily). Like everyone else here should be, I am forever grateful that my ancestors (in my case grandparents) had the courage and great sense to immigrate to America. We should never be afraid to be patriotic in exchange for the blessing bestowed upon us by those who have made this country what it is today, imperfections and all; and
4) Once again, I am so sorry about James Douglas, and if any of his friends and family ever read Giants101, my condolences to them, and my congratulations to Dan for having written a very good tribute to him yesterday.
I’m with FF55 on all the above. Especially on JD. At first I was upset but also finding it odd how I could be so shook on someone I’ve never met. But then I realized this is just a different, modern community, and I HAVE met the guy, in the most untraditional of ways. We’ve all shared laughs and frustrations, championships and disappointments, and conversated on one of the true passions of our lives. Indeed, some people here are far from strangers, regardless if all we know is a screen name and an avatar.
I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday, and I continue to keep our friend JD and his family in my thoughts.
I never had the privilege of meeting or talking to JD but obviously its terrible when anybody that young passes away. It makes a holiday like today that much more meaningful when we realize how none of us are promised tomorrow, so its important to be thankful that we are given the opportunity to live the time we do have in a country like ours. Happy 4th of July to everyone out there! Be safe and have fun!