Denzel Ward Keeps his Investments at Home in Cleveland

Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward is a Northeast Ohio guy through and through. He was born in Macedonia, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, and he attended The Ohio State University, starring for the Buckeyes from 2015-17.

Ward was selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Browns with the No. 4 overall pick, and he has starred in the defensive secondary ever since. Now, he is adding a new title to his resume.

Denzel Ward is now Part of Cleveland Ownership

Ward has followed in the footsteps of fellow Cleveland-area sports star, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, investing in the Cleveland Guardians Major League Baseball team ownership group as an investor.

#Browns CB Denzel Ward follows another Cleveland native and fellow #NFL star in Travis Kelce in joining the #Guardians ownership group: —> https://t.co/hRpeCKoKTN

— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) September 9, 2026

Ward, who agreed a two-year, $62.2 million contract extension in late July, has been a fixture in the Cleveland sports scene, and he has been very active in the community, too. Ward founded the “Make Them Know Your Name” Foundation, a group helping to combat heart disease, while working to prevent sudden cardiac arrest fatalities, according to clevelandbrowns.com. He also was a big part of the passage of Ohio House Bill 47, which legally mandates public and charter schools, as well as publicly operated sports facilities in Ohio, be equipped with AED devices and staff trained on them.

Denzel Ward is a one of the Good Guys in the NFL

In his first eight NFL seasons, he has played 110 games, while starting in 107 of those outings. He has posted 273 solo tackles, 18 interceptions and two defensive touchdowns with four forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries. In 2021, he had a 99-yard interception return for touchdown in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.

In 2022, he was signed to a five-year, $100.5 million contract, including $71.25 million guaranteed, and he was the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history for a brief time. He has used his money for a lot of charitable causes.

In addition to his foundation work, and his love for the city of Cleveland sports scene, he also offers his time as host of a free Elite Skills Camp for local kids, while offering mentorship and heart health education, which is very important to him, since his father passed away from the disease. He was nominated for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2024.

Too often in pro sports, fans get caught up in the results of the team, or a misplay here or there during the course of the season, but they do not appreciate the man himself. Ward is one of the good guys, and he loves his hometown and area. He is putting his money to good use.