Getty Cedrick Wilson looks to evade Jimmie Ward during the 49ers' playoff win on Sunday, January 16.
Jimmie Ward isn’t backing down from a challenge, even if it involves Instagram Live.
The San Francisco 49ers safety and captain took to the social media website to hold a question and answer session on Wednesday, February 23 with fans and his Instagram followers. And there were two names that were typed into his comment section of the live video that triggered an immediate, and honest, response from the veteran defensive back: Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs and CeeDee Lamb of the Dallas Cowboys.
The verbose Ward didn’t duck from answering about both Pro Bowlers — and let it be known he wants to line it up against both.
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Ward on Kelce
Ward was asked first about the multiple Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion Kelce.
“I’m looking forward to that matchup with Kelce. Please somebody go and tell him I said it. I’m looking forward. I can’t wait,” Ward boldly said.
The last time both men crossed paths, Ward certainly had an advantage in the individual battle: Delivering 11 tackles and one forced fumble down in Miami for Super Bowl 54. Kelce’s numbers? Six catches, just 43 yards and a touchdown. Per Pro Football Focus, Ward only drew one target in the game: Damien Williams who caught one pass for five yards. Kelce drew three coverage defenders that evening in Richard Sherman, Emmanuel Moseley and linebacker Fred Warner — the latter surrendering the most catches (4) and yards (28) versus Kelce per PFF.
Most fans who watched that February 2020 contest probably remembers this hit Ward put on Kelce’s quarterback Patrick Mahomes:
Patrick Mahomes gets the first,
gets blasted,
gets up and makes sure Jimmie Ward was the only guy to get hurt in the equation
However, fans also remember — and 49er and Chief fans — probably recall who won that game.
Ward, though, is still not shying away from a future battle with Kelce.
“Some of y’all was like, ‘Oh! You’re not that guy!’” Ward continued. “I know I ain’t, but did a tight end get over 50 yards on me? Matter of fact, did they even try to throw the ball to a tight end when I was covering? No sir, no ma’am!”
Ward has a point — Kelce never drew a matchup with him or any safety. And again, Ward was thrown at once.
Oh, Ward will get his chance to take on Kelce and the Chiefs. Kansas City is heading to Levi’s Stadium for the rematch of that Super Bowl in the fall of 2022. Time and day is still to be determined.
Ward Addresses Stance on Lamb
There’s one more name Ward mentioned…and hopes to line it up against.
And Ward wasn’t shy about sharing how he wanted to bury his pads and helmet into the Pro Bowl wideout Lamb.
“CeeDee Lamb? Ohhh, if y’all true fans of me, y’all know how bad I wanted to hit CeeDee Lamb,” Ward bluntly said. “He got a praying grand mom, a praying momma…that’s all I can think of because if I could have lined him up, god know I wanted to take it.”
#49ers S Jimmie Ward didn’t hold back on Ceedee Lamb tonight on his IG Live 🌶 🔥
Is there a rift between Ward and Lamb? If so, it’s believed it’s because of this IG post on Lamb’s account:
Ward was rarely targeted in the 49ers’ playoff encounter with the Cowboys: Only two throws his side, but two zeros underneath the yardage and catch stat line. As for Lamb, the 1,000-yard wideout from this past season only caught one pass — a 10-yarder on rookie cornerback Ambry Thomas.
Any chance Ward and the 49ers get Lamb and Dallas? Only if both teams have a rematch in the 2023 NFC playoffs.