Derrick Ward life and biography

Derrick Ward is an American football running back for the Houston Texans of the National Football League.

Selected by the New York Jets in the seventh round (235th overall) of the 2004 NFL Draft...Signed by Jets on July 29, 2004...Released by Jets on September 5, 2004...Re-signed by Jets to practice squad on September 6, 2004...Signed ny New York Giants off Jets practice squad on October 13, 2004...Placed on reserve/injured list on December 5, 2005...Re-signed by Giants on May 29, 2007...Re-signed by Giants on March 14, 2009...Signed by Tampa Bay Buccaneers as unrestricted free agent on March 3, 2009...Released by Buccaneers on August 31, 2010...Signed by Houston Texans on September 4, 2010.

PRO:
Powerful veteran running back who joined the Texans as a free agent prior to Week 1...will add depth and experience to a young Texans backfield...has rushed for 2,302 yards on 474 attempts and has scored nine touchdowns...has also caught 91 career passes for 750 yards with three scores...has some experience returning kicks with 40 career returns for 923 yards, incluing a 92-yard touchdown.

2009 (Tampa Bay 14/1): Appeared in 14 games with one start in his lone season as a Buccaneer...ran 114 times for 409 yards (3.6 average) with one touchdown...caught 20 passes for 150 yards and two scores...rushed for 62 yards on 12 carries, including a one-yard touchdown run, in Buccaneer debut against Dallas (9/13)...started against his former team and rushed five times for two yards vs. the New York Giants (9/27)...gained 67 yards on 19 carries, both season highs, at Seattle (12/20)...also caught a six-yard touchdown pass.

2008 (NY Giants 16/3): Played in all 16 games with three starts...rushed 182 times for a career-high 1,025 yards with two touchdowns...caught 41 passes for 384 yards...also had one kick return for 21 yards...carried 10 times for 101 yards at Cleveland (10/13)...ran for 37 yards on 14 carries with one touchdown at Pittsburgh (10/26)...started at Arizona (11/23) and ran for 69 yards on 20 attempts with one touchdown...started at Dallas (12/14) and ran for 64 yards on 14 carries...rushed for a career-best 215 yards on 15 carries, including a career-long 51 yarder, vs. Carolina (12/21)...started in the season finale at Minnesota (12/28) and gained 77 yards on 15 carries...carried 12 times for 46 yards vs. Philadelphia in the NFC Divisional Playoff (1/11/09).

2007 (NY Giants 8/5): Played in eight games with five starts for the World Champion Giants and gained 602 yards on 125 carries with a career-high two touchdowns...also caught 26 passes for 179 yards and a score...ran for 89 yards on 13 carries in the season opener at Dallas (9/9)...made his first career start the following week vs. Green Bay (9/16) and gained 90 yards on 15 carries...started and ran for 94 yards on 26 carries at Washington (9/23)...started and picked up 80 yards on 15 carries vs. Philadelphia (9/30)...scored his first career touchdown in a start vs. the New York Jets (10/7) when he scored from eight yards out in the second quarter...scored on a nine-yard run at Atlanta (10/15)...recorded his first career 100-yard game when he ran for 154 yards on 24 carries with one touchdown at Chicago (12/2).

2006 (NY Giants 8/0): Played in eight games and did not record any rushing or receiving statistics...returned 23 kickoffs for 466 yards (20.3 average)...recorded three tackles and recovered one fumble in special teams duty.

2005 (NY Giants 14/0): Saw action in 14 games...carried the ball 35 times for 123 yards and caught two passes for 13 yards...carried 13 times for 42 yards, both season highs, vs. Washington (10/30).

2004 (NY Giants 5/0): Played in five games as a rookie, primarily seeing action on special teams...spent the first half of the season on the New York Jets practice squad before signing with the Giants (10/13)...returned 16 kickofss for 436 yards (27.3 average)...made his NFL debut at Arizona (11/14) and returned one kick for 28 yards...had a 92-yard return for touchdown at Washington (12/5).

COLLEGE:
Transferred to Ottawa University in Kansas for his final year in 2003, where he set NAIA single-season records with 2,061 rushing yards, 28 touchdowns and 7.8 yards per carry on 263 attempts. Gained 1,091 yards with 11 touchdowns on 197 carries (5.5 avg.) and caught three passes for 49 yards in 20 games at Fresno State.Earned Freshman All-America honors at Fresno State in 1999.

PERSONAL:
Attended Valley View (Moreno Valley, CA) High where he was named the Sun Belt League Offensive MVP...Cousin, J.R. Redmond, was an All-America running back at Arizona State and played for the Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots...son of Terrie and Derrick Ward...has one sister, Tamika... Born on August 30, 1980 in Los Angeles, California.

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