HOUSTON -- The NFL placed Houston Texans starting safety Jimmie Ward on the commissioner exempt list, the league announced Tuesday.
Ward may not practice or attend games while on the list.
The placement stems from Ward's arrest in Montgomery County, Texas, at 5:38 a.m. on June 12 for alleged family violence in his Magnolia home involving his fiancée.
On the first day of training camp, Houston general manager Nick Caserio responded to a question about Ward's initial arrest by saying the team would "kind of let the legal process take care of itself."
Almost two months later, Ward was arrested on Aug. 7 for violating his previous release conditions by testing positive for alcohol. As a result, he had to spend the night in jail.
The woman involved in the alleged incident filed a lawsuit in Harris County (Texas) District Court on Aug. 21. She said on the morning of the arrest that she was "violently assaulted multiple times, both sexually and physically" by Ward in the presence of their 3-year-old child. She also said she was slapped, choked, threatened and forced to perform oral sex.
She said she eventually ran off into the street and called 911.
Coach DeMeco Ryans was asked about the latest lawsuit following the Texans-Detroit Lions joint practice on Aug. 21 and said, "we'll let the situation play itself out."
"I know there are a lot of allegations and things with Jimmie," Ryans said. "We don't know the true story, and I hate to jump to judgment on any situation with Jimmie. Let whatever has to happen in the court system, let that play out. But, I think it's unfair to rush to judgment when allegations and stories come out on players. Everybody's quick to jump on it and jump on the negative side with the players. Let's just allow it to play out."
Ward, 33, signed a two-year, $13 million contract with the Texans two years ago as a free agent after spending his first nine seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. In 2023, Ward played 10 games and had an interception. The Texans then gave him a one-year extension in August 2024 and had two interceptions in 10 games.