Jimmie Ward is an American football free safety for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Northern Illinois, and was drafted by the 49ers in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

James Ward had a great interest in football at his early teen stage. He enrolled at Davidson High School in Mobile, Alabama. He led the Warriors in tackles as a senior with 101 tackles, 73 solos, as Davidson went 10-3 and advanced to the state quarterfinals while earning team Defensive MVP honors.

Ward also recorded eight pass break-ups, an interception, forced two fumbles, and recovered three.

Jimmie Ward Career History

After playing college football at Northern Illinois University from 2010 to 2013. Ward was tipped to be the first or second-round pick by the majority of NFL draft experts and scouts.

He received an invitation to the NFL combine as a top defensive back prospect but was unable to participate in any physical running or jumping drills after discovering a stress fracture in his foot on the eve of the combine.

The 2014 NFL Draft saw the San Francisco 49ers drafting Jimmie Ward in the first round (30th overall). Ward was the third safety selected behind Calvin Pryor (18th overall, Jets) and HaHa Clinton-Dix (21st overall, Packers).

He penned and signed a four-year, $7.11 million contract with a $5.30 million guarantee and a signing bonus of $3.49 million.

In the 2015 season, head coach Jim Tomsula, named Jimmie Ward as the backup free safety to Eric Reid and made the first NFL start during the season-opener against the Minnesota Vikings and recorded a tackle in a 20-3 victory.

Ward finished his second season with career-high 57 combined tackles (48 solos), six pass deflections, a sack, an interception, and a touchdown in 16 games, and eight started.

Ward was converted to a full-time cornerback and competed with Kenneth Acker, Dontae Johnson, and Chris Davis for the job as the starting cornerback Ward was named the starting cornerback, opposite Tramaine Brock, to begin the 2016 season.

The 49ers picked up the fifth-year choice on Ward’s new kid on the block contract, paying him a compensation of $8.52 million for the 2018 season. Toward the start of training camp, new defensive coordinator Robert Saleh introduced a cover 3 base protection and picked to move Ward back to his unique place of free security.

Ward finished the 2017 season with a total of 32 combined tackles (27 solos) and a pass deflection in six starts and seven games.

In 2018, Ward played in nine games with seven starts, recording 24 tackles and a forced fumble. During a Week 12 27-9 road loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Ward suffered a broken forearm. He was placed on injured reserve on November 27, 2018.

On March 13, 2019, Ward signed a one-year, $4.5 million contract extension with the 49ers and had his contract renewed with the 49ers after Ward signed a three-year, $28.5 million.