Sep 7, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) runs against Indianapolis Colts cornerback Charvarius Ward (7) during the second half at Lucas Oil Stadium. Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Colts' Top Defender Could Miss Tilt with AFC Foe

Originally posted on Indianapolis Colts on SI
By Sean Ackerman | Last updated Sep 8, 2025 4:09 PM ET

The Indianapolis Colts unleashed a commanding performance against the Miami Dolphins in Week 1, securing a season-opening win for the first time in over a decade.

New quarterback Daniel Jones led the Colts to a 33-point performance that was backed by complementary football from Lou Anarumo's defense. The Colts allowed just eight points to Miami's explosive offense, making it the fewest they've allowed in a season opener since 2003.

Big-money signings like safety Cam Bynum and cornerback Charvarius Ward paid off almost immediately as the Colts intercepted an overthrown pass from Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on the second drive of the game. Bynum and Ward each were signed to deals worth up to $60 million to help pad an inexperienced secondary.

Following the win, head coach Shane Steichen announced that Ward is entering concussion protocol after showing symptoms on Monday morning. Ward will go through the five-phase protocol that gradually returns players to the field after traumatic brain injuries.

per Shane Steichen, CB Charvarius Ward Sr. has entered the concussion protocol. pic.twitter.com/A896SVyoJK
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) September 8, 2025

Ward finished Sunday's game with six total tackles and held Tyreek Hill to just four receptions for 40 yards. Ward came into Anarumo's system to follow opposing star wide receivers, and he did a great job of that in Week 1.

Another reason the Colts sought out Ward is his elite tackling. The Colts missed the most tackles in the NFL last year by a mile, and desperately needed help in that area. Since entering the league in 2018, Ward has the lowest missed tackle rate of any defender (min. 300 tackle attempts).

Charvarius Ward has missed just 5.6% of his tackle attempts since entering the league in 2018, the lowest missed tackle rate in the NFL (min. 300 tackle attempts).

Ward has missed less than 10% of his tackle attempts in every season of his career.@Colts | #ForTheShoe https://t.co/z1wbxi8LKE pic.twitter.com/t1QyKxICbG
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) March 11, 2025

Ward was a member of the AP All-Pro second-team in 2023 thanks to an elite year with the San Francisco 49ers. Ward finished that season with five interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), 23 passes defended, and 72 tackles (two for loss). After a down year in 2024, the 49ers chose to let Ward walk in free agency.

Anarumo and general manager Chris Ballard scooped him up and immediately made him the go-to guy in the Indianapolis secondary. Ward starts across from recent signing Xavien Howard, who spent time with Anarumo while he was the defensive backs coach for the Dolphins.

There is no timetable for Ward's recovery as every concussion is different in severity. Ideally, the Colts will have their CB1 back soon.

Indianapolis faces the Denver Broncos at home next Sunday. The Broncos are coming off a 20-12 win against the Tennessee Titans that was highlighted by strong defensive play. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix threw two interceptions, and he'll be looking to bounce back against the Colts next weekend.

This article first appeared on Indianapolis Colts on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: