Colts CB Charvarius Ward in concussion protocol for 3rd time this season: Ward called previous concussion 'traumatic,' considered quitting football

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Indianapolis Colts cornerback Charvarius Ward has entered concussion protocol for a third time this season, just weeks after he said that his second concussion made him consider quitting football. 

Colts head coach Shane Steichen announced the news on Monday. Per the Colts, Ward reported concussion symptoms after Sunday's loss to the Jaguars and remained in protocol as of Monday. It's not clear when or how he sustained the injury that placed him in protocol. Ward did not speak with reporters Monday.

Steichen didn't offer much detail regarding his injury, but said this when asked if he was concerned about Ward's repeated concussions:

“Yeah, I think it’s always concerning when you have that many concussions," Steichen said. "He’s in the protocol, like I said. We’ll work through it with him and we’ll go from there.”

Ward's previous concussion sidelined him for 5 games

That concern is exacerbated considering that Ward said on Nov. 21 that his second concussion of the season was a "real-deal traumatic injury."

Ward first sustained a concussion this season in Week 1 against the Dolphins. He described that injury as one that felt like "a little migraine." He missed Week 2 against the Broncos before returning for a Week 3 game against the Titans. 

Ward sustained his second concussion of the season in pregame warmups ahead of Week 6 when his teammate Drew Ogletree collided with him during a drill without pads or helmets. That concussion knocked Ward out cold. 

Ward missed five games with the brain injury. 

He described ahead of his Week 12 return a harrowing experience that included vomiting and dizziness that prompted him to consider quitting football.

"The one I had a second time, I was throwing up, getting dizzy," Ward said on Nov. 21. "I was getting dizzy for like a month. That was like a real-deal traumatic injury. A lot of emotions."

'I was thinking about my life outside of football'

Ward went on to talk about the inadvertent collision with Ogletree, a 260-pound tight end who outweighs him by more than 60 pounds.

"It's crazy," Ward continued. "One moment I'm going for the ball. The next moment I'm knocked out and laying on my back and being carted off the field in a wheelchair. ... 

"It was crazy. It definitely scared me, man. I was knocked out. I've never been knocked out. I had a black eye and everything. I was kind of doubting if I was gonna play football again. It was that scary. 'Cause I was thinking of my life outside of football too. It was crazy."

Ward, 29, is an eighth-year NFL veteran playing his first season with the Colts. He's been a full-time starter since his second NFL season with the Chiefs and made a Pro Bowl and was named All-Pro in 2023 while playing for the 49ers. 

The severity of his latest concussion isn't clear, nor is his timeline to return to the field. And considering his past concussion experiences and comments, it's fair to wonder about his football future.