Charvarius Ward Says He 'Wasn't Motivated' in Final 49ers Season over Contract Status

As he enters his first season with the Indianapolis Colts, veteran cornerback Charvarius Ward is willing to admit that he didn't put his best foot forward during the 2024 campaign.

While speaking to The Athletic's Michael Silver, Ward explained that he felt slighted in his final year with the San Francisco 49ers over the team's refusal to sign him to the contract extension he felt he earned.

"Even before everything happened with my baby, I really wasn’t super motivated," Ward admitted. "Because after the year I had in ‘23, I wanted a contract extension — because I wanted to stay — and I knew I wasn’t getting a contract offer. They came to me and kind of told me what it was, ’cause they had (other) people to pay. So it kind of had me in my feelings a little bit. I just never made it public.

"I was hurt when I realized I wasn’t getting a contract extension or even an offer for an extension," he added. "So, I wasn’t motivated; like, from OTAs all the way through camp, I was kind of pissed off. I knew when the season started it was a wrap for me in the Bay."

Ward put forth one of the best seasons of his seven-year career in 2023 when he led the league with 23 passes defended and recorded a career-high five interceptions on his way to earning second-team All-Pro honors. Still, San Francisco opted not to reward him with a contract extension, and it affected his play last year when he finished with just seven passes defended and no interceptions.

In addition to the disappointment of not receiving a new deal, Ward endured a devastating moment off the field when his daughter, Amani Joy, died in October, shortly before her second birthday. He played in a career-low 12 games.

Entering the 2025 season, Ward has a renewed mindset and is looking forward to his first year in Indianapolis.

"I’m doing good, man — physically, mentally and emotionally. I’m doing way better than what I was," he said. "At first, it was hard to see the light at the end of that tunnel, but I kind of got my joy back, my happiness back, my smile back, and everything like that. I’ve got a lot of optimism right now."