Jonathan Ward growing as community, NFL leader

As the summer of 2020 saw restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic start to slightly ease up, Jonathan Ward knew he couldn’t do much, but he wanted to give back to his hometown.

The Kankakee native and 2016 Bishop McNamara graduate had just signed his first NFL contract as an undrafted free agent running back with the Arizona Cardinals a couple of months prior, and before he took a professional snap, he wanted to be a professional in his community.

So Ward told his agent, Orlando Arnold, his childhood and high school coaches and his family, and took to Kankakee’s Beckman Park that summer for a day of football instruction and family fun, using what Ward learned at the camp of another Fightin’ Irish-turned-pro when he was a kid, Tyjuan Hagler, as a foundation.

And Saturday at Kankakee High School, the sixth annual Jonathan Ward Skills Camp took place. About 75 young campers ages 14 and younger spent their afternoon learning football fundamentals and playing 7-on-7 flag football under the instruction of Ward, local youth and high school coaches and Ward’s own friends and family. Including his childhood friends that closed out camp with their own game of 7-on-7, that number exceeded 100, more than doubling the attendance of his first camp.

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Jonathan Ward, seated in black in the middle, poses with the dozens of campers that attended his skills camp at Kankakee High School Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Mason Schweizer)

“The first year, I hit [Arnold] up out of the blue and said I wanted to do a camp next week,” Ward said. “Time flies by, and here we are in Year 6. I literally just started with a dream, and now we’re here. It’s surreal.”

Newcomers and camp veterans learned more about the game they love, competed against one another in heated races and won items ranging from Pittsburgh Steelers merchandise – Ward’s current team – to goodies from local vendors, and for a handful of lucky campers who won their foot races, a spur-of-the-moment trip with Ward to the sporting goods store for a brand new pair of cleats.

Seeing the looks on the faces of his young campers, many of whom were seasoned camp veterans, is a look Ward himself remembers having on his face at Hagler’s camp when he was a youngster. Even after six years, knowing he’s become a successful professional that’s capable of making such a communal impact can still be a bit of a pinch-me feeling.

“That’s a blessing, for sure,” Ward said. “Those are memories that they’ll have forever. I remember going to Tyjuan Hagler’s camp year after year, so just being a part of those fundamentals and those foundational memories in their youth years is a blessing. I’m glad to be a part of it.”

Not only has be become a leader in his hometown, but also in the league. As he prepares for his second season in the Steel City, Ward’s still learning every day. But in a profession where the average career spans just over three years – less than three for running backs – Ward also realizes that he quickly went from fresh-faced rookie to a wise veteran.

Like his role as a Kankakee area leader, Ward takes pride in being a reliable source in the locker room.

“I remember and am still trying to figure out the ropes, a day-by-day deal, but the years go by fast,” Ward said. “It’s a blessing just to make it to Year 6 and be one of the older guys that the younger guys can come up to – I can pick their brains, they can ask me questions about stuff. I remember when I was in their shoes, trying to get over that hump. I’m over here now.”