Denzel Ward considers his parents as his most significant form of inspiration. Whatever he has achieved to date is all thanks to his parents.
The story of Denzel Ward is such that his discipline and determination are all inherited from his parents.
Moreover, Denzel draws all the inspiration from his late father, Paul, and his mother, Nicole.
Denzel Nehemiah Ward is a 27-year-old professional football player from Macedonia, Ohio, who plays as a cornerback.
The cornerback has been an athlete right from his childhood. During high school, he played football and basketball and ran track.
He decided football was his primary aim and joined Ohio State University. Then, after gaining ample experience, Denzel decided to forgo his senior career and declared for the draft.
In the 2018 NFL draft, the Cleveland Browns selected the player as the fourth overall pick in the first round.
Currently, he is an active player in the Browns roster. Furthermore, in 2022, he extended with the Browns for five years on a contract worth $100.5 Million.
Moreover, as things stand, Ward is the highest-paid cornerback in the whole NFL franchise.
Meet The Parents Of Denzel Ward: Paul And Nichole
Denzel is the second son of Paul Ward Jr. and Nichole Ward. The couple were together for over 20 years before Paul died in 2016.
They tied the knot on July 22, 1995, and gave birth to two successful men, PJ and Denzel Ward.
Father Paul Ward Was A Force Of Nature
Paul Ward is Denzel’s late father and role model for life. Son of a military man, Paul himself was a reserve Army personnel.
Later on, he went on to become an educator after graduating from the University of Cleveland. Then, he served as the Principal of Carylwood Intermediate School.
Moreover, Paul was a man of values and ethics. He nurtured his sons in a way they would go on to contribute to the community.
His main motto was, Make Them Know Your Name, and he wanted his sons to live by this. Denzel later formed a foundation known as The Make Them Know Your Name Foundation.
Unfortunately, Paul Ward Jr. died on May 2, 2016, at 46, due to a heart attack.
Denzel’s Mother, Nicole Ward
Like her husband, Nicole Ward is also a woman of extremely strong will and character. Even after the death of her husband, she didn’t waver and continued to lead her family.
Furthermore, Nicole works at Chestnut Hill Realty as a real estate agent. Previously, she worked in Human Resources and Marketing at Cleveland Clinic.
In addition to that, she also promoted pro modeling agencies on her Instagram.
As a mother, Nicole taught Denzel to be an extraordinary human. Denzel believes it is because of his mother that he has made an impact through the foundation.
After he received the Walton Peyton Man of the Year award for his contributions to the health sector through the MTKYN Foundation, he credited his mother.