Cornerback Charvarius Ward will not be available for the 49ers’ game Monday night against the Detroit Lions.
The 49ers on Sunday downgraded his status to out for the team’s Week 17 game at Levi’s Stadium.
San Francisco initially listed Ward as questionable due to personal reasons.
When asked on Saturday if the reason for Ward’s absence from practice was “good news,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed.
“Yeah, stuff I can't totally share,” Shanahan said. “I haven't talked to him about it, so we'll keep it personal. But nothing bad happened.”
NBC Sports Bay Area's Jennifer Lee Chan reports that Ward recently told her the family was expecting a baby boy. Ward was not with the team over the weekend. He likely traveled out of the area for the birth of the couple's child.
It has been a difficult year for Ward. The couple’s daughter, Amani Joy, passed away on Oct. 28. She was just shy of her second birthday.
San Francisco 49ers
Ward, 28, missed four games while mourning the death of his daughter.
He is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent during the 2025 offseason, and it is uncertain whether he will be available for the 49ers’ final regular-season game next week at the Arizona Cardinals.
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Rookie Renardo Green is expected to start Monday night in place of Ward. Green, a second-round draft pick, has started five games this season.
On Saturday, the 49ers ruled out offensive linemen Aaron Banks (knee) and Spencer Burford (calf), linebacker Dre Greenlaw (calf) and defensive end Robert Beal (ankle).
