Ward Brothers Finally Find Themselves In Games Together

The Ward brothers, Isaiah and Anthony, have been teammates at two different schools yet rarely in the defensive huddle at the same time throughout their college careers until now.

The 6-foot-5, 235-pound Isaiah has been a University of Washington edge rusher for two seasons now, either starting or coming off the bench.

The older Ward, the 6-foot, 220-pound Anthony, has spent four seasons in two different stints at the UW, mostly as a special-teamer, though lately he's received increasingly more game snaps at linebacker.

Yet against Ohio State, the siblings looked up at times and saw each other's smiling or overly determined face together in the huddle for the first time, and repeated this moment in ensuing games.

It's Ward and Ward.

"This year, it's really exciting," Isaiah Ward said of their shared playing time. "My move loves it."

Anthony Wars has picked up defensive snaps to go with his UW special-teams duty. | Dave Sizer photo

For those who don't know, their mother, Nakima, is a big football follower. She's the sister of NFL linebacker Bobby Wagner, formerly of the Seattle Seahawks and now with the Washington Commanders.

She's a flight attendant who, while a Southern California resident, has flown in and out of Seattle fairly regularly.

Anthony Ward first spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons with Jimmy Lake's Huskies as a walk-on player and didn't appear in any games.

Isaiah Ward (91) holds a running conversation with UW linebacker Xe'ree Alexander in the heat of the battle. | Dave Sizer photo

Once Lake was fired during the 2021 season, this Ward transferred to Arizona to team up with his younger brother, a Jedd Fisch recruit, and he received a scholarship for his exemplary special-teams play.

In 2023 against Utah, Anthony blocked a Utah punt and returned it 2 yards for a touchdown in a 42-18 victory in Tucson, making that scholarship look like a wise investment.

Both Ward brothers followed Fisch to Montlake once the coach took the UW job. with Anthony rejoining the Huskies and many of his old teammates.

Once starting linebacker Buddah Al-Uqdah was lost this season with a knee injury, Anthony became part of the solution to replace him, which meant he would be called on to provide defensive snaps, namely in situational third downs.

Isaiah Ward likewise received increased playing time this season when starting edge rusher Zach Durfee hurt his elbow against Ohio State, and was lost to the Huskies for the time being, and this brother became the first-teamer at Maryland and again this past week against Rutgers.

He previously started 17 games for Arizona and the UW in 2023 adn 2024..

Consequently, the Wards have been able to team up on the field on scrimmage plays rather than simply watch each other from the sideline.

"All the time I'm always supporting him," Isaiah said. "I love seeing him out there, playing again."

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