Houston Texans safety Jimmie Ward was in the Montgomery County (Texas) jail on Thursday morning after being arrested at his home in Magnolia, Texas.
According to jail records, the former Davidson High School standout was booked into the facility at 6:37 a.m. CDT Thursday, charged with assault on a family or household member impeding breathing or circulation – a family-violence offense that is a third-degree felony in Texas.
“We are aware of the report involving Jimmie Ward,” a spokesman for the NFL team told KPRC-TV in Houston. “We are gathering information and have no further comment at this time.”
Ward is preparing for his third season with the Texans, although he was unable to participate in Houston’s offseason program as he recovers from foot surgery.
Ward made 48 tackles, including 32 solo stops, recorded five tackles for loss and intercepted two passes in 10 starts in 2024 before his season was ended by a foot injury in a 27-19 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Dec. 21. Ward returned one of the interceptions 65 yards for a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans on Nov. 24 for the third pick-six of his career.
Ward entered the NFL from Northern Illinois as a first-round selection of the San Francisco 49ers in 2014. Ward spent his first nine seasons with the 49ers. As a cornerback, nickel back and safety, Ward played in one Super Bowl and three NFC Championship games with San Francisco.
Ward signed a two-year, $13 million contract as an NFL free agent to join Houston for the 2023 season. Even though Ward missed seven regular-season and two playoff games in his first year with the Texans, Houston signed him to a one-year contract extension after the 2023 campaign that has kept him with the team for 2025.
A team captain in 2023 and 2024, Ward was expected to play a reduced role in 2025 after the Texans acquired safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles and Calen Bullock started 13 games and intercepted five passes as a rookie for Houston in 2024.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at@AMarkG1.