This hasn’t been a monster statistical season for Denzel Ward. Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz admitted as much this week when he said Ward’s latest Pro Bowl nod was more about league-wide respect than interceptions.
Ward missed the Browns’ last two games with a nagging calf injury, and with the team currently playing out the string, no one would have batted an eye if Cleveland’s franchise cornerback just shut it down for the remainder of the season.
As Browns fans know — that’s not Denzel Ward.
He told reporters back in Week 15 that he was hoping to play, even if both he and the team knew it was a long shot. He did return for Sunday’s home finale against Aaron Rodgers and the playoff-hopeful Pittsburgh Steelers, and Ward reminded the entire NFL why he’s now a five-time Pro Bowler.
Per ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi, Ward didn’t allow a single completion against the Steelers and, as usual, was barely targeted over the first three quarters.
One contributing factor was Pittsburgh playing without top wide receivers D.K. Metcalf (NFL suspension) and Calvin Austin III (hamstring). Another was Rodgers being obsessed with avoiding Myles Garrett, which led to a number of quick, errant passes and Steeler punts; Rodgers barely had 100 passing yards when the Steelers started their last-ditch drive to either win or tie the game with 1:40 remaining from their own 35.
Rodgers had no choice but to throw the ball down the field at that point, and the Steelers found some success, driving inside the Browns 10 yard line with 30 seconds to play. That’s when Rodgers made a series of decisions that had every Browns fan thinking the same thing.
Browns fans are loving what Denzel Ward said after shutting down the Steelers
It’s never a good idea to target a receiver who’s being smothered by Ward. It’s especially bad when you’re deep inside the red zone, and the receiver is Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
Rodgers ignored the no fly zone, however, and targeted MVS vs. Ward on the right side of the end zone on the final three plays of the game. To the surprise of absolutely no one, Ward and the Browns won that matchup — and Ward let the Steelers hear it after the game.
“I’m always prepared and ready for moments like that. I just try to make it hard on teams every time they decide to look at the scouting report and see who they’re going to attack, and make it hard on them when they come my way. … I don’t know whose bright idea it was to try me for the game, three plays in a row, but we were able to come through and get the win.”
#Browns Denzel Ward: “I don’t know whose bright idea it was to try me for the game on three plays in a row.” pic.twitter.com/IcGMpaRuol
— Ashley Bastock (@AshleyBastock42) December 28, 2025
None of the attempts were all that close, as Rodgers and MVS didn’t appear to be on the same page. Ward nearly had a game-sealing interception on one of them, but he only got one hand on the ball and was credited for a pass breakup on the play.
It was part of a clear message from Cleveland that, even with a potential top-two draft pick on the table, had no interest in rolling over and handing Pittsburgh the AFC North title. Tight end Harold Fannin Jr. played through a groin injury that wound up knocking him out of the game in the first quarter. Superstar linebacker Carson Schwesinger was visibly limping in and out of the huddle on the game’s final drive and never even looked at the sideline.
Again, Ward could’ve been in street clothes for this one, but he instead played a pivotal role in a win that could end up saving some jobs next month.