Police arrested Houston Texans safety Jimmie Ward Thursday night, which marks the second time over the last two months. Per the Montgomery County (Texas) jail’s website, police arrested Ward via a warrant connected to a felony offense. Ward is expected to be released by court order within 24 hours.
Ward’s lawyer, Steve Jackson, told KPRC 2 that Ward was arrested as a result of testing positive for alcohol, which is a violation of his previous release from back in June. As a result, Ward spent the night in jail. Jackson made it clear that Ward wasn’t facing any new charges aside from the bail violation, and Ward wasn’t aware that he couldn’t drink alcohol in connection to his previous arrest.
Police arrested Ward June 12 on a third-degree felony assault charge was related to an alleged family violence incident in Magnolia, Texas. A woman, identified as Ward’s fiancée, called police and stated that Ward assaulted and strangled her. A protective order was filed by the woman and Ward was eventually released after posting $30,000 bail.
When the Texans opened training camp, general manager Nick Caserio addressed Ward’s arrest by saying they wanted to “kind of let the legal process take care of itself.”
“We will work with the league. We will be compliant on our end, do the best we can,” Caserio said at the time. “Whatever the outcome is, we’ll handle it accordingly.”
The Texans placed Ward on the physically unable to perform list due to a foot injury and has yet to be activated as the preseason begins.
Ward originally signed a two-year, $13 million contract with the Texans in 2023. He previously played his first nine NFL seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and reunited with coach DeMeco Ryans, who served as San Francisco’s defensive coordinator when Ward played for the 49ers.
Ward signed a one-year extension in August 2024, but will be an unrestricted free agent following the 2025 season. He registered 48 combined tackles, four defended passes, and two interceptions in 10 games in 2024 before his season ended due to a foot injury.