Ward suffered three separate concussions during the 2025 season, twice being placed on injured reserve. After the second concussion, symptoms lingered, and Ward expressed uncertainty about his NFL future, stating if he gets one more concussion, he would likely retire due to concerns about long-term brain health and his family.
However, nearly two months after the season ended, team officials report a positive outlook. "He's in a good frame of mind... his frame of mind is really good right now," Ballard said, while Steichen added, "he's in a good headspace, feeling good." When healthy, Ward performed well, allowing just a 57% completion rate on 37 targets with seven pass breakups in seven games.