{{Short description|American football player (born 1997)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = JoJo Ward | image = | alt = | caption = | current_team = | number =9, 14 | position = Wide receiver | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|12|9}} | birth_place = Waco, Texas, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | height_ft = 5 | height_in = 9 | weight_lbs = 175 | high_school = Midway (Waco) | college = Hawaii | undraftedyear = 2020 | pastteams = * Arizona Cardinals ({{NFL Year|2020}}–{{NFL Year|2021}})* * Cleveland Browns ({{NFL Year|2021}})* * Houston Gamblers ({{USFL Year|2022}}) * Ottawa Redblacks ({{CFL Year|2023}})* | status = | highlights = | statlabel1 = Receptions | statvalue1 = | statlabel2 = Receiving yards | statvalue2 = | statlabel3 = Receiving touchdowns | statvalue3 = }}
'''Joseph "JoJo" Ward''' (born December 9, 1997) is an American former professional football wide receiver. Ward played college football for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors. He was a member of the Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Houston Gamblers, and Ottawa Redblacks.
== Early life == Ward attended Midway High School, where he was named the District 12-6A offensive MVP as a senior.<ref>{{cite web |title=Midway alum Ward making a splash in Hawaii |url=https://wacotrib.com/sports/high_schools/midway-alum-ward-making-a-splash-in-hawaii/article_6b2b1854-3f4b-500d-b866-2d0141fed472.html |website=Waco Tribune-Herald |access-date=15 August 2020}}</ref>
== College career == Ward played at Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas, where he racked up over 1,000 yards receiving and nine touchdowns in two seasons.<ref>{{cite web |title=2018 Warrior Football Position Preview: Wide Receivers |url=https://hawaiiathletics.com/news/2018/8/8/2018-warrior-football-position-preview-special-teams.aspx |website=Hawaii Athletics |access-date=15 August 2020}}</ref> He joined the Hawaii roster in July 2018 at the last minute as a walk-on.<ref>{{cite web |title=The word is getting out on Warrior JC transfer receiver JoJo Ward |url=https://www.khon2.com/news/the-word-is-getting-out-on-warrior-jc-transfer-receiver-jojo-ward/ |website=KHON2 |access-date=15 August 2020}}</ref>
Ward was named to the Earl Campbell Award watchlist before the start of the 2019 season, and was named its national player of the week in week 2 of the season, where he caught ten passes for 189 yards and all four of Hawaii's touchdowns against Oregon State.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Carlson |first1=Kainoa |title=Jojo Ward named to Earl Campbell Award Watch-list |url=https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2019/08/14/jojo-ward-named-earl-campbell-award-watch-list/ |website=Hawaii News Now |access-date=15 August 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Former Apache JoJo Ward named Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award National Player of the Week |url=http://www.apacheathletics.com/article/2971 |website=Tyler Junior College Athletics |access-date=15 August 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> He also was named the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week for the same performance.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tsai |first1=Stephen |title=Hawaii football: JoJo Ward wins Mountain West honor |url=https://www.hawaiiwarriorworld.com/football/hawaii-football-jojo-ward-wins-mountain-west-honor/ |website=Hawaii Warrior World |access-date=15 August 2020}}</ref>
=== College statistics === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- align="center" ! rowspan="2" |Year ! rowspan="2" |Team ! rowspan="2" |Class ! rowspan="2" |GP ! colspan="4" |Receiving ! colspan="4" |Kick returns ! colspan="4" |Punt returns |- !Rec !Yds !Avg !TD !Ret !Yds !Avg !TD !Ret !Yds !Avg !TD |- ! 2018 !! Hawaii |Junior |'''14''' |51 |865 |17.0 |9 |0 |0 |0 |'''0''' |'''3''' |'''13''' |'''4.3''' |'''0''' |- ! 2019 !! Hawaii |Senior |'''14''' |'''65''' |'''1134''' |'''17.4''' |'''11''' |'''2''' |'''31''' |'''15.5''' |'''0''' |'''3''' |1 |0.3 |'''0''' |- ! colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |Career !style="text-align:center;" |28 !style="text-align:center;" |116 !style="text-align:center;" |1999 !style="text-align:center;" |17.2 !style="text-align:center;" |20 !style="text-align:center;" |2 !style="text-align:center;" |31 !style="{text-align:center;" |15.5 !style="text-align:center;" |0 !style="text-align:center;" |6 !style="text-align:center;" |14 !style="text-align:center;" |2.3 !style="text-align:center;" |0 |- ! colspan="16" |Source:<ref>{{cite web |title=JoJo Ward College Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/jojo-ward-1.html |website=Sports Reference |access-date=15 August 2020}}</ref> |}
== Professional career == ===Arizona Cardinals=== After going undrafted in the 2020 NFL draft, Ward signed with the Arizona Cardinals on April 25, 2020.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tsai |first1=Stephen |title=Former Hawaii receiver JoJo Ward reaches deal on free-agent contract with Arizona Cardinals |url=https://www.staradvertiser.com/2020/04/25/sports/sports-breaking/former-hawaii-receiver-jojo-ward-reaches-deal-on-free-agent-contract-with-arizona-cardinals/ |website=The Star Advertiser |access-date=15 August 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Cardinals Agree To Terms With 21 Undrafted Rookie Free Agents |url=https://www.azcardinals.com/news/cardinals-agree-to-terms-with-21-undrafted-rookie-free-agents-2020-draft |website=AZCardinals.com |access-date=15 August 2020}}</ref> On September 5, 2020, Ward was waived during final roster cuts.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cardinals Make Final Cuts To Get To Initial 53-Man Roster|url=https://www.azcardinals.com/news/cardinals-make-final-cuts-to-get-to-initial-53-man-roster-2020|author=Urban, Darren|website=azcardinals.com|date=September 5, 2020}}</ref> He was re-signed to the practice squad a day later.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cardinals Build Practice Squad, Including Weaver, Foster|url=https://www.azcardinals.com/news/cardinals-build-practice-squad-evan-weaver-d-j-foster-hakeem-butler|author=Urban, Darren|website=azcardinals.com|date=September 6, 2020}}</ref> He signed a reserve/future contract on January 5, 2021.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cardinals Sign 15 Players To 'Futures' Contracts|url=https://www.azcardinals.com/news/cardinals-sign-15-players-to-futures-contracts|author=Urban, Darren|website=AZCardinals.com|date=January 5, 2021}}</ref> He was waived on August 16, 2021.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cardinals Bring Back Four From Covid List, Including James Conner|url=https://www.azcardinals.com/news/cardinals-bring-back-four-from-covid-list|author=Urban, Darren|website=AZCardinals.com|date=August 16, 2021}}</ref>
===Cleveland Browns=== On August 19, 2021, Ward signed with the Cleveland Browns.<ref>{{cite news |author=Mueller, Jared |title=Browns sign WR JoJo Ward, cut DT Damion Square |url=https://brownswire.usatoday.com/2021/08/19/browns-sign-wr-jojo-ward-cut-dt-damion-square/ |website=USAToday.com |date=August 19, 2021 |access-date=August 19, 2021}}</ref> Ward was waived by the Browns on August 20, 2021.<ref>{{cite news |title=Browns sign LBs Montrel Meander, Willie Harvey Jr. |url=https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/browns-sign-lbs-montrel-meander-willie-harvey-jr |publisher=ClevelandBrowns.com |date=August 20, 2021}}</ref>
===Houston Gamblers=== Ward was drafted by the Houston Gamblers of the United States Football League (USFL) in the 14th round of the 2022 USFL draft.<ref>{{cite tweet |user=USFLGamblers |title=The pick is in! #USFLDraft Welcome to the squad, JoJo Ward! #AllIn |number=1496509782219702277 |date=February 23, 2022 |access-date=April 23, 2022}}</ref> He was transferred to the team's inactive roster on April 22, 2022.<ref>{{cite tweet |user=USFLGamblers |title=Roster Updates |number=1517411571114291202 |date=April 22, 2022 |access-date=April 23, 2022}}</ref> He was moved back to the active roster on May 20.<ref>{{cite tweet |user=USFLGamblers |title=Roster Updates |number=1527838760993320960 |date=May 20, 2022 |access-date=May 23, 2022}}</ref> He was released on April 4, 2023.<ref>{{cite tweet |user=USFLGamblers |title=Released |number=1643282288644595712 |date=April 4, 2023 |access-date=April 4, 2023}}</ref>
=== Ottawa Redblacks === On April 27, 2023, Ward signed with the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Heilman |first=Michael |date=2023-04-27 |title=Ottawa Redblacks sign former Gamblers WR JoJo Ward and OL Peter Kourtis |url=https://www.bgmsportstrax.com/2023/04/27/ottawa-redblacks-sign-former-gamblers-wr-jojo-ward-and-ol-peter-kourtis/ |access-date=2023-05-17 |website=BGMSportsTrax |language=en-US}}</ref> He was released by the Redblacks during the first week of training camp on May 16, 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |author=3Down Staff |date=2023-05-17 |title=Ottawa Redblacks release eight, including QB Charlie Brewer |url=https://3downnation.com/2023/05/17/ottawa-redblacks-release-eight-including-qb-charlie-brewer/ |access-date=2023-05-17 |website=3DownNation |language=en-US}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * [https://www.azcardinals.com/team/players-roster/jojo-ward/ Arizona Cardinals bio] * [https://hawaiiathletics.com/sports/football/roster/jojo-ward/18211 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ward, Jojo}} Category:1997 births Category:Living people Category:Players of American football from Waco, Texas Category:American football wide receivers Category:Tyler Apaches football players Category:Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football players Category:Arizona Cardinals players Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen Category:Cleveland Browns players Category:Houston Gamblers (2022) players Category:Canadian football wide receivers Category:Players of Canadian football from Texas Category:Ottawa Redblacks players Category:21st-century American sportsmen