Jimmie Ward decided to return to the 49ers in free agency this spring because it's where he felt most comfortable.
"It's the place that drafted me and trusted in me," Ward said over a Zoom conference call recently.
Yet the word "comfortable" shouldn't be used to describe his last six years.
Ward, of course, has dealt with a slew of injuries that led to ending four of his first five seasons on injured reserve with broken bones (a Jones fracture in his foot, forearm and shoulder). He missed more than five games per year on average and appeared in all 16 regular season games once since getting drafted in the first round of 2014.
The missed games, and subsequent chatter, have caused Ward to strengthen his mentality. Fans often gave Ward the "bust" moniker because of his injury issues, but the former 30th-overall pick worked to become a key component of San Francisco's formidable defense last season. Maintaining perspective helped.
"Throughout your career, (in) any professional sport, you're going to go through some type of adversity. And what gets through that type of adversity is a mindset," Ward said. "I've been through a lot, but everybody has been through a lot if you really think about it."
Ward last year appeared in 16 straight contests, including playoffs, for the first time since playing in every game in his second season in 2015. He missed the first three weeks of the regular season last year with a broken hand in August months after fracturing his collar bone during June OTAs.
Still, Ward put together the best year of his career with a crucial role on the NFL's top-ranked pass defense. The 49ers allowed just 169 passing yards per game, the fewest since the New York Jets allowed 154 in 2009.
"I know the guys, I have relationships with them so that's one reason I wanted to stay," Ward said. "The Niners they came out with a decent amount of money that I felt comfortable with and so I just decided to stay."
Ward returned to the 49ers on a three-year, $28.5 million contract that included $13.5 million in guarantees at signing. His $9.5 million average salary is the 13th-highest highest among NFL safeties. His overall Pro Football Focus grade was sixth among safeties that played half their team's snaps.
Ward, along with defensive lineman Arik Armstead, is one of the returning free agents on defense San Francisco prioritized after trading DeForest Buckner to the Colts.
ESPN reported Ward turned down more money from the Las Vegas Raiders to stick with the defending NFC champions, though Ward would not confirm which other teams were in the running for his services.
"When it comes to the business side, you never know what will happen and I knew there would be other teams that had more money than the 49ers," Ward said.
