As the longest-tenured member of the Cleveland Browns, Denzel Ward has gone through plenty of ups and downs with the franchise. The veteran cornerback knows to take advantage of the good times, like the Browns are experiencing right now.
A 13-10 win against the rival Baltimore Ravens on Sunday put the Browns back into first place in the AFC North. It is the latest they have been in the top spot since Week 10 of the 2014 season, which is long before Ward got here.
Ward recently got honest about being on top of the AFC North, saying that the team needs to keep stacking wins.
“It feels amazing. We gotta keep going. Keep stacking one win on top of the other. Glad to be back on the winning column, but looking forward to next week,” Ward said.
.@Browns CB Denzel Ward on being in first place in the AFC North after the win over the Ravens.
📻 https://t.co/ycO6aUT0AG#Browns | #DawgPound pic.twitter.com/lRcwjallSC
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) October 19, 2026
A first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Ward has experienced a first-place feeling with the Browns before, as they have been there at points during the 2020 and 2023 seasons. But even though Cleveland made the playoffs as a wild card in those two years, it has not won its division since being reinstated into the NFL in 1999. In fact, the Browns have not won a division title since 1989 but have finished last 19 times.
Cleveland’s 4-2 start is likely extra special to Ward, because there were times this offseason when it looked like he was not going to be a part of it. The 29-year-old was the subject of trade rumors, based on his age and where he fit into the Browns’ rebuilding timeline, but instead he signed a contract extension to stay and mentor his younger teammates.
Ward has already extended his interception streak to every year of his career, and he is well on his way to posting a personal best in combined tackles, with 25 in just six games. He also has two forced fumbles for the first time.
No team in the AFC North has more than two losses, so every game is going to be critical if the Browns hope to win the division. Cleveland already has head-to-head victories against Baltimore and the Pittsburgh Steelers, but has yet to play the Cincinnati Bengals.
Before that, it is time for Ward and the Browns to stack another win against the lowly Tennessee Titans on the road in Week 7.
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