Charvarius Ward is set to become a free agent this offseason and has revealed his trepidation returning to San Francisco.
The San Francisco 49ers’ star cornerback went through an unspeakable year that goes far beyond the game of football.
Ward and his girlfriend, Monique Cook, lost their one-year-old daughter in October due to health complications.
It put an awful pause to Ward’s season, as he missed four games to deal with the unthinkable, a tragedy that no parent should ever experience.
Ward now faces his next big life decision as he enters free agency.
And after his heartbreaking and unimaginable loss, there is a lot to consider.
Ward revealed how this past season wore on himself and his loved ones, to the point where he isn’t sure that he’ll be able to, nor want to resign with the 49’ers.
He told reporters on Monday that he is battling PTSD over the loss of his daughter.
“I’ll be throwing up, waking up in the middle of the night, sweating,” Ward said in an open locker room to reporters.
“I got a lot of trauma in California, every time I get on the plane to come back, it just brings up bad memories.
“I go home by myself every day because my girl doesn’t want to come back to California because of what happened.
“It’s hard being alone and she’s my strength right now.”
The trauma of losing a child isn’t something that any parent should have to go through, so it understandable why Ward has pause on returning to San Francisco.
A place that provokes memories and feelings towards a loved one that is no longer alive isn’t a burden that Ward and his family should have to bear.
He won’t have to make a decision right now, as free agency is set to begin in March, so he’ll have time to discuss it with those closest to him.
Meanwhile, he is coming off his third season with the 49ers, after signing with them in 2022, coming from Kansas City Chiefs.
Ward made the Pro Bowl last season where he helped San Francisco reach the Super Bowl, only to fall to his former team.
Overall, he has had a successful stint in the Bay Area, where general manager John Lynch would surely love to re-sign the Pro Bowl corner.
We’ are just a month away from Super Bowl 59 and talkSPORT will be live from New Orleans for build-up and live coverage
talkSPORT is your home of the NFL on UK radio and this weekend the NFL Playoffs get underway with 5 exclusive commentaries on talkSPORT2.
On Saturday evening, we have full live commentary as the best in the NFL go head-to-head, knowing they’re just three wins away from the biggest game in all of American sports.
Brock Purdy Talks 49ers Contract Extension, Wants It ‘Done Quick’ in Offseason
Brock Purdy is in line for a new contract this offseason, and he doesn’t plan to let negotiations follow him and the San Francisco 49ers into the season.
Per 49ersWebZone’s David Bonilla, the third-year quarterback said he’d prefer to get an extension done sooner rather than later.
“Everybody’s different, just with the timing of getting something done and whatnot,” Purdy said. “For me, I want to, obviously, get it done. If that’s an opportunity to be able to get that done quick, that’d be great, just so we can get back for phase one, get after it with the receivers and our team, and just continue to grow because we’ve all gotta grow together.”
Purdy turned heads in 2023 when he threw for 4,280 yards and 31 touchdowns while leading the Niners to an NFC Championship. He took a step back this season as he recorded 3,864 passing yards and 20 touchdowns, though there are a few reasons for his regression.
His favorite target from the 2023 season, Brandon Aiyuk, played just seven games before suffering a torn ACL. Star running back Christian McCaffrey, who was responsible for 564 receiving yards in 2023, also dealt with injuries and played just four games.
Assuming Purdy has his usual weapons back in 2025, he should be due for a big season and in turn, will likely get a lucrative extension this offseason.
Spotrac gives Purdy a market value of $59.7 per year, which would make him the second-highest-paid quarterback annually only behind Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. If the Niners are willing to go that high, Purdy will hope to reward them with an MVP-caliber season.
Leave a Reply