Cleveland Browns star cornerback Denzel Ward officially purchased a minority stake in the Cleveland Guardians, with the team announcing the wild move Wednesday morning. This isn’t just some casual investment, either, because Ward is literally a hometown hero, proving his commitment to the city in a huge new way. You gotta respect that kind of dedication from a guy who bleeds for his city on the football field.
Double the NFL Power in Cleveland Diamond
Ward isn’t the first NFL big-timer to throw his hat into the Guardians’ ownership ring this year, which is pretty wild if you think about it. Kansas City Chiefs tight end and four-time All-Pro Travis Kelce, a guy who grew up just 20 minutes from the Browns’ home turf, snagged a minority stake back in May. Now Ward, who’s from Macedonia, Ohio, a quick 25-minute drive south of Progressive Field, is following suit. “Cleveland is my hometown,” Ward declared, according to Cleveland.com. “I’m so blessed to be able to show up for this city on the field and now as a part of the Guardians organization. I couldn’t be more grateful to the Dolan family and David Blitzer for the opportunity to continue to pour into this community and give back to the best fans in the world.” That’s the kind of passion that makes a difference.
Ward’s Big Commitment On and Off the Field
Guardians chairman and CEO Paul Dolan and vice chairman David Blitzer didn’t hold back, calling Ward a “hometown hero on the field and off it.” And they’re not wrong, this guy has been a beast for the Browns for eight seasons since they drafted him fourth overall in 2018 out of Ohio State. The five-time Pro Bowler put up one interception, nine passes defended, and 39 combined tackles in 15 regular-season games last NFL season. He just inked a two-year, $62.2 million extension in July, making his $31.1 million average annual value the third-highest among NFL cornerbacks. Talk about putting your money where your mouth is, right? This isn’t just a business deal; it’s a deep commitment to his community, plain and simple.
What does this mean for the Guardians’ season? They’re sitting at 74-72, holding onto the third American League wild-card seed right now. They’re just one game ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays for that last AL playoff spot and two games back from the Chicago White Sox for first in the AL Central. Talk about high stakes as the season winds down! Ward’s going to throw out the first pitch on September 15th when the Guardians face the White Sox. You know he’ll bring that championship mentality to the mound when his new team needs it most.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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