{{Short description|American football player (born 1992)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Channing Ward | current_team = | number = 71, 95 | position = Defensive tackle | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1992|9|17}} | birth_place = Aberdeen, Mississippi, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 4 | weight_lbs = 310 | high_school = Aberdeen | college = Mississippi | undraftedyear = 2016 | pastteams = * Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{NFL Year|2016}}–{{NFL Year|2018}}) * St. Louis BattleHawks ({{XFL Year|2020}}) | status = | highlights = | statweek = | statseason = | statlabel1 = Total tackles | statvalue1 = 5 | statlabel2 = Sacks | statvalue2 = | statlabel3 = Forced fumbles | statvalue3 = | pfr = W/WardCh00 }}

'''Channing Jevante Ward''' (born September 17, 1992) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ole Miss Rebels. Ward coached the defensive line at New Albany High School in New Albany, Mississippi but he now coaches at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Ridgeland (Mississippi).

==Early life== He was born in 1992 in Aberdeen, Mississippi to parents Bob Evans and Cora Ward. He played football at Aberdeen High as a defensive end. Ward's high school career included numerous awards and recognition. Among his distinctions Ward was listed No. 2 on The Clarion-Ledger's Top Ten Most Wanted List. The Ledger also awarded him first-team All-State honors during his junior and senior years.<ref>[https://olemisssports.com/sports/football/roster/channing-ward/619 Profile on Ole Miss Sports.com]</ref>

==College career== Ward committed to the University of Mississippi and first played in 2012. As a defensive end on special teams, Ward played every game during the 2012 and 2013 seasons and played as a backup defensive end on special teams during the 2014 season. After the 2015 season, Ward finished with 4 game starts and career highs of 35 tackles, 6.5 tackles, 3.0 sacks and 3 passes defended. While at Mississippi, Ward majored in Criminal Justice<ref>[https://olemisssports.com/sports/football/roster/channing-ward/619 Profile on Ole Miss Sports.com]</ref>

==Professional career== Ward signed with the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/bucs/surprise-rookie-dl-channing-ward-says-hes-made-cut-with-bucs/2291990 |title=Surprise: Rookie DL Channing Ward says he's made cut with Bucs |access-date=September 2, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160902055456/http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/bucs/surprise-rookie-dl-channing-ward-says-hes-made-cut-with-bucs/2291990 |archive-date=September 2, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He made the Buccaneers' initial 53-man roster, playing in five games with one start over nine weeks and recording five tackles before being released on November 16, 2016.<ref>{{cite web|title=Buccaneers claim DT Sealver Siliga off waivers|url=http://www.bucsnation.com/2016/11/16/13658078/buccaneers-claim-dt-sealver-siliga-off-waivers|author=Philipse, Sander|website=BucsNation.com|date=November 16, 2016}}</ref> He was re-signed to the practice squad the next day.<ref>{{cite web|title=Buccaneers Re-Sign DE Channing Ward To Practice Squad, Cut DT Rodney Coe|url=http://nfltraderumors.co/buccaneers-re-signing-de-channing-ward-practice-squad/|date=November 18, 2016}}</ref> He was promoted back to the active roster on December 29, 2016.<ref>{{cite web|title=Channing Ward Returns to Active Roster|url=http://www.buccaneers.com/news/article-smith/Channing-Ward-Returns-to-Active-Roster/03ed0371-70c8-4972-804a-f6a60b07325d|author=Smith, Scott|website=Buccaneers.com|date=December 29, 2016|access-date=December 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230090155/http://www.buccaneers.com/news/article-smith/Channing-Ward-Returns-to-Active-Roster/03ed0371-70c8-4972-804a-f6a60b07325d|archive-date=December 30, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On September 5, 2017, Ward was waived by the Buccaneers and was re-signed to the practice squad on September 14.<ref>{{cite web|title=Buccaneers Add Will Clarke to D-Line|url=http://www.buccaneers.com/news/article-smith/Buccaneers-Add-Will-Clarke-to-D-Line/7006199e-a64f-4f61-9fdc-d30626c3b089|author=Smith, Scott|website=Buccaneers.com|date=September 5, 2017|access-date=September 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170907080352/http://www.buccaneers.com/news/article-smith/Buccaneers-Add-Will-Clarke-to-D-Line/7006199e-a64f-4f61-9fdc-d30626c3b089|archive-date=September 7, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Channing Ward Returns to Practice Squad|url=http://www.buccaneers.com/news/article-smith/Channing-Ward-Returns-to-Practice-Squad/1537b583-92d7-44d8-a150-1a19f359204c|author=Smith, Scott|website=Buccaneers.com|date=September 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918052443/http://www.buccaneers.com/news/article-smith/Channing-Ward-Returns-to-Practice-Squad/1537b583-92d7-44d8-a150-1a19f359204c|archive-date=September 18, 2017}}</ref> He was promoted to the active roster on December 20, 2017.<ref>{{cite web|title=Standout Rookies Among Five Bucs Headed to IR|url=http://www.buccaneers.com/news/article-smith/Standout-Rookies-Among-Five-Bucs-Headed-to-IR/b5203974-8b43-4612-a385-24deb30cb4e4|author=Smith, Scott|website=Buccaneers.com|date=December 20, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171223235108/http://www.buccaneers.com/news/article-smith/Standout-Rookies-Among-Five-Bucs-Headed-to-IR/b5203974-8b43-4612-a385-24deb30cb4e4|archive-date=December 23, 2017}}</ref>

On July 25, 2018, Ward was waived by the Buccaneers with a non-football injury designation after suffering a torn patellar tendon.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bucs waived injured DT Channing Ward, add OT Jerry Ugokwe|url=https://www.tampabay.com/blogs/bucs/2018/07/25/bucs-waived-injured-dt-channing-ward-add-ot-jerry-ugokwe/|author=Auman, Greg|website=TampaBay.com|date=July 25, 2018}}</ref> He was released on September 19, 2018.

In October 2019, Ward was selected by the St. Louis BattleHawks in the 2020 XFL draft.<ref>{{cite web|last=Bender|first=Bill|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/xfl-draft-tracker-results-picks-list-rosters-football-league/jahz8p84e4i61hb8lajqs4a22|title=XFL Draft picks 2019: Complete results, rosters, players for new football league|website=Sporting News|date=October 21, 2019|access-date=October 23, 2019}}</ref> He had his contract terminated when the league suspended operations on April 10, 2020.<ref>{{cite news |author=Condotta, Bob |title=XFL suspends operations, terminates all employees, but Jim Zorn says he has hopes league will continue |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/xfl-suspends-operations-terminates-all-employees/ |website=SeattleTimes.com |date=April 10, 2020 |access-date=July 17, 2020}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20160920104919/http://www.buccaneers.com/team/roster/channing-ward/a69dba87-6ccc-40a8-a004-e6e264cf0082/ Tampa Bay Buccaneers bio] *[http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/channing_ward_811446.html Ole Miss Rebels bio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160913164630/http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/channing_ward_811446.html |date=September 13, 2016 }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ward, Channing}} Category:1992 births Category:Living people Category:Sportspeople from Aberdeen, Mississippi Category:Players of American football from Mississippi Category:American football defensive ends Category:Ole Miss Rebels football players Category:Tampa Bay Buccaneers players Category:St. Louis Battlehawks players