Here, There and Everywhere: Jaguars Jihad Ward Keeps His Feet Moving, Pushing Himself and Teammates

“Here” refers to life overall, alive on earth. But it also refers to his place now with the Jaguars. He’s worked himself into the rotation at defensive end, bringing his experience of playing with Joe Cullen in Baltimore to help establish himself now as Cullen implements the defense that made the Ravens front seven a force in Jacksonville.

“He’s a physical specimen in terms of the run game,” brags Cullen. “He’s big, he’s 285 pounds, he can play four positions, really. And we talk about—to win this division, you go to Nashville and you see what the Titans have. I mean, you have got to set edges against those guys and then that’s what we brought him here for [from Baltimore]. He has a great motor, he knows the system and he can play inside in pass rush situations and he plays outside in base.”

Adds Meyer, “He’s great. [I like] everything. He’s a leader. He’s a guy that shows up every day at practice, played well Saturday. He is very flexible too, he can go inside and outside. He has the right demeanor and mentality that we want on our defense.”

Related: Jaguars’ Jihad Ward Came to Jacksonville To ‘See the Moment’ Things Change

Being “here” in Jacksonville means Ward brings a parcel of lessons and viewpoints that have been sharpened and forged over time, leading to the ability to appreciate the opportunity wherever he may be or how he’s feeling.

“There’s going to be times where you just don’t feel like practicing. You have to have that mindset, man. It’s just like work. Sometimes you don’t feel like going to work but you have to have fun with this. Live your life. That’s what I tell these rookies, players. You cannot control what’s going on up here. You can’t, all you can control is this field."

The philosophizing Ward admits he hasn’t always had this mindset, but instead it’s one grown out of callouses from life spent in the NFL. Now as one of the older minds on a young team, he’s passing it along to the rookies around him.

“All rookies [are] quiet, right? You see Trevor [Lawrence], you see Jordan [Smith], they seem quiet, but it’s time to embrace yourself. This stuff is short. Everybody’s focused right now, everybody’s in training camp, and everybody’s just [saying] I have to do what I have to do. Enjoy it because that one play can change your life.

“I tell people every time, there’s no such thing as a 53-man roster. I know that sounds crazy, but there’s no such thing, So, with that being said, you never know. Enjoy it. You could be balling at training camp, next thing you know it’s a money situation or they have their opinions, like I said earlier. As long as you live it and have fun, you will worry about the rest. Then, it’s 32 teams out there that see your film and they want you. Just live it, man. Like I said, you can’t control what’s going on out there.”

Ward holds court while passing on his lessons, whether in front of a mic, or on the practice field or in the meeting room. He holds attention there as well for other reasons, where he’s become known as the one to watch, save becoming a target of his pranks.

“Haddy, we call him ‘Live Wire’ on the D-line because you never know what he’s going to do next,” reveals fellow defensive lineman Malcom Brown. “He keeps the meeting room live, he keeps everything in practice live. You would think he never gets tired at practice because he’s always yelling or doing something, flipping out there on the field and everything like that.

“You always need those guys on the team because I mean, when everybody’s not feeling it, he’s going to bring the energy for everybody. He’s going to get everybody rolling, even if he’s not feeling it. I mean, he still comes out there and shows you even if he’s not feeling it.”

It’s a by-product of Ward’s personality, hitting his teammates with pranks and jokes and his best moves. But it’s also a tactical approach to make a roster a team.

“Sometimes I might tell a story about some personal stuff. But at the same time, somebody can relate, it might a coaching staff. It’s all about communication. You never know, you might meet up with somebody that had the same problem as you.

"That’s how I deal with situations. I talk a lot. I used to be quiet, but communication is key. If you’ve never been to therapy, then youre going to learn.”

But the “here” that defines Ward most is the steadiness to always be where he feet are, whether they’re pushing a lineman off his block or dancing or traveling. Especially when they’re traveling.

“I’m living my [expletive] life,” laughs Ward. “I’m living my life man for real because I’ve been in Philadelphia a lot and I hadn’t been out of the city except for Philadelphia. It’s hard to make it out of the city, it’s hard to make it out of the hood. I’m living my life, man. I’m like alright cool I did everything in the United States of America, I’m traveling the world. I’ve been to Dubai, Brazil, everything. I’m living my life so I’m living the dream.”

Before Ward, linebacker Myles Jack was the Jaguars world traveller, often spending time in Australia. That’s also from where defensive end Adam Gotsis hails. But Ward maintains his status as the team’s expert globetrotter. He can’t help himself; life is too special to be spent unexplored.

“Myles [Jack] ain’t like me. Myles is not like me. Boy, I travel the world,” jokes Ward. “That’s why I love Animal Planet, see what’s going on out there. ‘Oh no, it’s poisonous snakes. I’m not messing with it. I’m going to go over there.’ I watch what I travel but I have to travel. I have to get myself out of there.”

Life is for living, the world is for traveling, music is for dancing and football is for playing. It’s what both drives Jihad Ward, pushing him to be better and do more. It’s also what grounds him, allowing him to live in each moment, entirely “here” wherever that may be.

"You can’t do well if you don’t play yourself…anything that you do in life, you just have to do more and that’s how we take it on the field. If it’s a screen pass and you feel like you can’t make the play, still, you have to have that mindset. You still feel like you have to have that play so it’s all about the finish. That’s what we preach about.

"It’s God, man. I’m just happy, man. I’m just happy to be here. I’m just happy to be in this whole environment…There’s no wrong route, there’s no right route. It’s your dream, it’s your journey, go live it.”