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NFL fans were reintroduced to Arizona Cardinals running back Jonathan Ward on Sunday, January 2.
Previously known for the brutal collision with Packers RB Kylin Hill that left him with a concussion, Ward had Twitter buzzing again following his incredible catch to pick up a first down on a wild fake punt against the Cowboys.
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On fourth-and-2 from Arizona’s 36-yard line early in the second quarter, Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury made the gutsy call for a fake punt. The snap went to safety Chris Banjo instead of punter Andy Lee, and Banjo completed a 23-yard pass to Ward, who was well-covered by Dallas cornerback Nashon Wright.
Ward managed to trap the ball against Wright’s shoulder pad and the side of the defender’s helmet with one hand as he brought it to the ground. Wright, who didn’t turn around for the ball, was called for pass interference on the play, but the Cardinals declined the penalty when the catch was confirmed as complete.
“That’s the best catch I’ve ever seen,” Kingsbury said when awarding game balls in the locker room after the game.
“I’ve got to watch it,” Cardinals QB Kyler Murray said after the game when asked about Ward’s catch. “If he did catch it for sure, it was a great catch.”
Wide receiver A.J. Green told Cardinals sideline reporter Paul Calvisi: “That was unbelievable.”
As for the pass, Calvisi noted that Banjo finished with a passer rating of 118.8. The veteran safety playfully suggested a change to the QB depth chart, and the Cardinals social media team obliged:
The catch led to the Cardinals’ (11-5) first touchdown of the day in their eventual 25-22 victory over the Cowboys (11-5). With the win, Arizona snapped a three-game losing streak and kept its NFC West title hopes alive.
Twitter Reacts to Crazy Catch
Media and NFL fans alike reacted on social media with a collective “Wow!”
ESPN and PFF Fantasy Football both called Ward’s grab the “Catch of the Year” on Twitter:
The Athletic noted the similarity to former New York Giants WR David Tyree’s “Helmet Catch” in Super Bowl XLII:
Longtime Arizona Republic writer Bob McManaman called the catch “unreal”:
And former University of Virginia pitcher Stephen Schoch delivered this gem:
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A Scary Moment for Ward
Ward was in the social media spotlight earlier this season for a much different special teams play.
In the third quarter of the Cardinals’ 24-21 loss to the Packers on October 28, Ward delivered a hard hit on Hill during a punt return and didn’t get up afterward. It was a scary moment for both teams, as Hill left the game with an injured knee and Ward had to be carted off the field.
Following a scary scene, Ward gave a thumbs-up to the crowd at State Farm Stadium as he left the field.
Ward, now in his second NFL season, suffered a concussion on the play and missed the next four games.
The former University of Central Michigan star hasn’t seen much playing time on offense this season and has just seven carries for 30 yards. But the undrafted free agent has been stellar on special teams.
Ward, 24, signed a two-year contract with Arizona in April 2020.
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