49ers’ Star Cornerback Doesn’t Hold Back On Facing Chiefs

Four years ago, when the San Francisco 49ers battled the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl, Charvarius Ward was playing cornerback for the Chiefs.

Fast forward to today, and Ward will be suiting up for the 49ers as they get set to face Kansas City in the Super Bowl yet again.

While it may seem like a strange feeling, Ward insists that is not the case.

“Nah, it’s not weird. It’s gonna be fun,” Ward said, via Nick Shook of NFL media. “They’ve been one of the best teams in the league in the past five, six years, since Pat Mahomes been there. So it’s a good opportunity to go out there and try to knock off the top dog in the league. They’re the defending champs, so we’ve got to try to take their throne.”

Ward spent the first four years of his career with the Chiefs before joining San Francisco in free agency a couple of years ago.

The 27-year-old has broken out with the Niners, particularly this year when he earned his first Pro Bowl selection after racking up 72 tackles, five interceptions, a forced fumble, 23 passes defended and a defensive touchdown. He was also named a Second-Team All-Pro.

As for whether or not Ward has the advantage for knowing Mahomes and Co.? He thinks it will be an even playing field.

“You can look at it both ways,” Ward said. “They probably think they know my weaknesses. It’s gonna be a good game for sure.”

Ward added that he harbored no ill will toward the Chiefs for letting him walk in free agency in March 2022, saying that he understood Kansas City could not afford him.

“I was kind of out of their price range,” he said. “Me and my agent, when we were going to a new team, I told him two things: I wanted to go to a winning team. I didn’t want to go to a bad team. And lastly, I wanted to be compensated nicely. And the 49ers were able to provide that.”

The Middle Tennessee State product ultimately signed a three-year, $40.5 million deal with the 49ers.