INDIANAPOLIS -- Charvarius Ward was leaning toward walking away from the NFL after two seasons defined by tragedy and injuries, but the Indianapolis Colts cornerback had an abrupt change of heart and is back for 2026 because he says he's in a much better headspace.
"I've just been working on myself, and I didn't want to finish my career [the way] I finished last season," said Ward, who had two separate stints on injured reserve with severe concussions last season.
That came on the heels of a 2024 season in which Ward's 23-month-old daughter, Amani Joy, died after battling heart problems.
"A lot of stuff happened out of my control," Ward said. "Emotionally, I wasn't ready. I thought I was going to be ready. So, [having] my family here with me this season, they're going to be close with me this year and I think that's going to help me out a lot. Just being whole."
Ward admitted to dealing with bouts of depression since his daughter's death, particularly during training camp last season when he was away from his Dallas-area home. His fiancée, Monique Cook, wanted to stay close to family in Texas following the tragedy, leaving Ward to cope with his own emotions hundreds of miles away in Indianapolis.
"I tried to tough it out," Ward said of last season. "Mentally and emotionally, I got to the point in training camp where it had got real hard for me. ... I had some rough moments in camp. I was having those thoughts, 'Man, I don't know if I can do it.'"
Things got worse when the season began. Ward sustained a series of concussions, including one that left him with severe symptoms for multiple weeks. He was limited to a career-low seven games.
After the season, Ward told reporters he was contemplating retirement.
"The more I beat my brain up, the more it'll affect me as I get older," Ward said at the time. "So, I've got a lot of life to live out of football. I've got to think about my family and kids, too. So, we'll see."
On Wednesday, in his first interview since returning for offseason workouts, Ward expressed significant optimism about his mental state. He was even upbeat when speaking about his late daughter, saying he plans to play for her in 2026.
Last season, after signing with the Colts, he was adamant that he was not prepared to talk about her publicly.
"It's kind of been a real sore subject for me," Ward said. "Ever since it happened, every time I thought about it, I got sad. But now, I think about her. I have a lot of good memories about it. The memories we had together. The man that she made me. She always put a smile on my face. I'm trying to live through her."
Ward and Cook now have a 17-month-old son, Charvarius Jr., which has brought new joy and perspective, Ward said.
"He's my clone," Ward said. "Everywhere I go, he wants to go."
Ward's return allows him and star cornerback Sauce Gardner to have another shot at playing together after spending just one full game on the field together last season.
"I think we can be one of the best [secondaries] in the game," Ward said.