Jihad Ward

OLB

#52

Experience: 11 years

Height: 6-5

Age: 32

Weight: 285 lbs

College: Illinois

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WK	OPP	RESULT	TKL	AST	COMBINED	SOLO	SCK	SFTY	PDEF	INT	YDS	AVG	LNG	TDS	FF	OPP FR

Career Stats

Defense Career

SEASON	TEAM	G	GS	TKL	AST	COMBINED	SOLO	SCK	PDEF	INT	YDS	AVG	LNG	TDS	FF	OPP FR
2016	Las Vegas Raiders	16	13	16	14	30	14	0	0						0	1
2017	Las Vegas Raiders	5	1	1	1	2	1	1	0						0
2018	Indianapolis Colts	6	0	4	0	4	4	3	0						0
2019	Indianapolis Colts	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	1						0
2019	Baltimore Ravens	11	0	3	4	7	2	1	0						0	2
2020	Baltimore Ravens	10	0	7	9	16	7	3	2						0
2021	Jacksonville Jaguars	17	1	10	22	32	10	2	0						0
2022	New York Giants	17	11	28	15	43	20	3	4						2
2023	New York Giants	17	9	16	8	24	15	5	0						1	1
2024	Minnesota Vikings	17	2	5	5	10	5	1	1						0	1
2025	Tennessee Titans	17	12	15	16	31	14	5	4						0
TOTAL		136	49	105	94	199	92	24	12	0	0	0	0	0	3	5

Biography

CAREER NOTES

Prior to returning to Minnesota, played in 136 regular-season games with 49 starts for the Oakland Raiders (2016-17), Indianapolis Colts (2018-19), Baltimore Ravens (2019-20), Jacksonville Jaguars (2021), New York Giants (2022-23), Minnesota Vikings (2024) and Tennessee Titans (2025).
Played in five postseason games, including one start for the Ravens (2019-20) and the Giants (2022).
Career totals include 199 total tackles, including 29 for loss, 24.0 sacks, 12 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries. In postseason play, has eight total tackles, including two tackles for loss.
In two seasons with the Giants, Ward started 20 games and totaled 8.0 sacks, including a career-high 5.0 in 2023.

CAREER NOTES

Prior to returning to Minnesota, played in 136 regular-season games with 49 starts for the Oakland Raiders (2016-17), Indianapolis Colts (2018-19), Baltimore Ravens (2019-20), Jacksonville Jaguars (2021), New York Giants (2022-23), Minnesota Vikings (2024) and Tennessee Titans (2025).
Played in five postseason games, including one start for the Ravens (2019-20) and the Giants (2022).
Career totals include 199 total tackles, including 29 for loss, 24.0 sacks, 12 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries. In postseason play, has eight total tackles, including two tackles for loss.
In two seasons with the Giants, Ward started 20 games and totaled 8.0 sacks, including a career-high 5.0 in 2023.

2025 | TENNESSEE TITANS

Started 12 of 17 games played, notching 31 total tackles, including four for loss, 5.0 sacks, four passes defensed, and 22 QB hits.

2024 | MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Started two of the 17 games he played in his first season with the Vikings in 2024, recording 10 total tackles, including one for loss, 1.0 sack, 14 QB hits, one pass defensed and one fumble recovery.
Made his second career start in a postseason game while appearing in his sixth playoff contest all-time during the Wild Card Round in Arizona against the L.A. Rams (1/13).
Saw a season-high 80% snap share (51 snaps) in Week 16 at Seattle (12/22), adding two QB hits.
Registered his first sack of the season and 19th of career in Week 9 on Sunday Night Football vs. Indianapolis (11/3). He also had team-high three QB hits.
Logged a quarterback hit and a pass defensed in Week 5 vs. the New York Jets in London (10/6).
In Week 4 at Green Bay (9/29), registered a pair of QB hits.
Recovered a fumble during the third quarter in the Vikings home opener vs. San Francisco (9/15).
Made his Vikings debut in Week 1 at the New York Giants (9/8) where he played during the 2022-23 seasons. Recorded a pair of quarterback hurries.

2023 | NEW YORK GIANTS

Played in all 17 games, making nine starts, and recorded 24 total tackles, including five for loss, a single-season career-high 5.0 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

2022 | NEW YORK GIANTS

Played in all 17 regular-season games with 11 starts and appeared in two postseason contests with one start.
Totaled a single-season career bests in tackles (43), tackles for loss (seven), passes defensed (four) and forced fumbles (two).

2021 | JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Saw action in all 17 games, making one start. Amassed 32 total tackles, including three for loss, and 2.0 sacks.

2020 | BALTIMORE RAVENS

Played in 10 games, registering 16 total tackles, including four for loss, 3.0 sacks and two passes defensed.
Also played in two postseason contests, recording three tackles, including one for loss.
Helped the Ravens defense rank second league wide in both points allowed (18.9) and third-down efficiency (34.0%).

2019 | INDIANAPOLIS COLTS/BALTIMORE RAVENS

Appeared in 14 games, including the final 11 with the Ravens, after beginning the season with the Colts.
On the season, tallied seven total tackles, including one for loss, 1.0 sack, one pass defensed and two fumble recoveries.
Appeared in one postseason game with the Ravens, tallying two total tackles.

2018 | INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Played the first six games of the season before suffering a season-ending ankle injury.
Notched four tackles, including three for loss, and 3.0 sacks.

2017 | OAKLAND RAIDERS

Appeared in five games with one start and finished the season with two tackles, including one for loss, and 1.0 sack.
Took down QB Nick Foles for a 9-yard loss in Week 16 at Philadelphia (12/25), marking his first career sack.

2016 | OAKLAND RAIDERS

Played in all 16 games as a rookie, making a career-high 13 starts, playing at both defensive end and tackle.
One of three rookies to play every game for the Raiders in 2016.
Registered 30 total tackles, one fumble recovery and 10 quarterback hits.

COLLEGE - GLOBE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY/ILLINOIS

Played two years at Illinois (2014-15) after transferring from Globe Institute of Technology (New York, N.Y.).
Appeared in 25 games with the Illini, recording 104 tackles (45 solo), including 12.0 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, three passes defensed, three forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries.
Played two seasons at Globe Institute of Technology (2012-13), totaling 81 tackles and 10.0 sacks.

HONORS

All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (2x, 2014-15)
Illinois Defensive Newcomer of the Year (2014)

PREP - EDWARD W. BOK TECHNICAL (PA.)

Began his prep career as a wide receiver and safety before moving to defensive end.
Earned all-city honors in Philadelphia in each of his final two prep seasons (2010-11).
Was named First-Team All-City in 2011 and second team in 2010.
Played in the Philadelphia Eagles Public vs. Non-Public City All-Star game at Lincoln Financial Field in the spring of 2012.
Also played basketball.

OFF THE FIELD

Son of Kareema Ward and has two brothers and two sisters.
Majored in sport management at Illinois.

video

Minnesota Minute Featuring Jihad Ward

In this episode of the "Minnesota Minute," vikings.com's Gabe Henderson catches up with OLB Jihad Ward.

video

Jihad Ward With Another Vikings Turnover

Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jihad Ward comes up with the loose ball off of another turnover committed by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy.