RB Derrick Ward confirms retirement a month after Houston Texans decline to re-sign him – NFL News
Exactly a month after running back, Derrick Ward, tweeted about his time being over with the Houston Texans, he has announced retirement from the professional league.
His Texans’ stint spans over the past two years. Lately, the player has increasingly been under the shadow of Arian Foster, the team’s another RB, who has arisen on the horizon very fast.
On June 05, the player tweeted:
“Was just told I didnt get resigned because I don't play special teams? Humm check 2004-2007 stats special teams demon. Oh well. ?#NextUp?.”
He was not linked to any talk about his potential next move, and after the silence of a month, he called it a day to his eight-year pro career.
Derrick wrote on his Twitter account the other day:
“To all my fans just wanted to let u know it’s been a great ride the last 9yrs but I'm calling it a career. I thank u all for believing in me!”
The decision of the RB did not surprise many given he has remarkably gone down in form into later part of his career. He has not rushed for more than 500 yards on average for the last few seasons.
It is the main factor probably that he has become less attractive to the teams. He has been unable to find a destination off the Texans’ waivers for last one month.
To some extent, the market demand for RBs, which is quite down at the moment, is also a factor contributed to his difficulties in finding another team in the league.
His affected form still remains the main reason, though. Ward hit peak of his career in 2008 when he while playing along Brandon Jacobs at the New York Giants topped 1,000 yards.
Since then he has consistently been through the dismal performance record. Before landing in Houston, he spent a year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and his form was the same old story there.
His two-year deal with Texans expired this year and the management refused to re-sign him, given they have a better option in form of Foster, who is in better time of his career.
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