Houston – The NFL has announced that safety Jimmie Ward of the Houston Texans has been placed on the reserve/commissioner exempt list. This decision comes as Ward faces serious legal issues, including a felony domestic violence charge stemming from an incident in June.
Ward, who is 34 years old, was reportedly arrested after a woman alleged that he strangled and threatened her. This incident resulted in charges of assaulting a family or household member. In August, he was arrested again for violating bail agreements related to this initial charge.
According to police records, Ward was involved in a troubling situation where he allegedly assaulted the mother of his 3-year-old son. A recent lawsuit has surfaced, requesting more than $20 million in damages, which claims that Ward choked Cristy West while under the influence of crystal meth. The lawsuit is being handled by attorney Tony Buzbee, who is known for representing victims in high-profile cases involving sexual assault and domestic violence.
The Texans organization stated, “We are aware of the report involving Jimmie Ward. We are gathering information and have no further comment at this time.” Players who are on the commissioner’s exempt list cannot participate in practices or games, and the duration on this list is determined by Commissioner Roger Goodell.
Ward, who joined the Texans two seasons ago after spending the first nine years of his career with the San Francisco 49ers, had been sidelined from training camp due to a foot injury and was previously placed on the physically unable to perform list.
Last season, he served as team captain and made significant contributions on the field, recording 48 combined tackles, two interceptions, and four passes defensed in ten games. One of his interceptions was returned for a touchdown.
With Ward absent from the lineup, the Texans are expected to start C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Calen Bullock at the safety position. This development marks another chapter in a challenging period for both Ward and the Texans organization.
