Ohio native Denzel Ward has bought into the Cleveland Guardians.
The MLB franchise announced Wednesday that Ward had joined the ownership team but did not detail the amount of his investment.
Ward is a five-time Pro Bowl selection entering his ninth NFL season with the Cleveland Browns, has played his entire football career in Ohio. He started at Nordonia High School in Macedonia, then was an All-American at Ohio State before the Browns selected him with the No. 4 overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Ward, 29, signed a contract extension with the Browns in July that runs through the 2029 season. The two-year, $62.2 million contract includes $39.8 million in guaranteed money. He has $103.4 million in career earnings, according to Spotrac.
In the Cleveland area, Ward also is known for his philanthropy. Among his charitable efforts, he formed a foundation aimed at raising money to fight heart disease.
“Denzel Ward is a hometown hero on the field and off it,” said a joint statement from Paul Dolan, Guardians chairman and CEO, and David Blitzer, the MLB club’s vice chairman. “His excellence, character and commitment to this community … make him a perfect fit for our organization. We are proud to welcome him as a partner in the Guardians future.”
In May, another Cleveland-area native — Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce — also bought a minority share of the Guardians.
Two months earlier, Kelce bought a $5.35 million, 21,000-square-foot historic mansion along Lake Erie in the enclave of Bratenahl, Ohio. It’s one additional property added to the collection of homes owned by Kelce or his wife, pop star Taylor Swift.
