The Houston Texans made franchise history on Monday night by securing their first road playoff success with a dominant 30-6 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium.
But ESPN's production team had a night to forget.
The network's opening broadcast of the 2026 playoffs featured an embarrassing research failure that viewers immediately caught. A graphic displaying Houston's starting defensive secondary listed 34-year-old safety Jimmie Ward among the starters.
But here’s the kicker. Ward has not taken a single snap this season.
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Jimmie Ward's complicated season away from the field
The former San Francisco 49ers first-round pick from 2014 has spent the entire year on Houston's reserve/physically unable to perform list due to a foot injury.
The NFL also placed the Northern Illinois product on the Commissioner Exempt list back in August following 2 arrests.
"He's not even on the active roster," analysts noted after spotting the mistake.
Ward's NFL future remains unclear due to his ongoing legal issues and lengthy absence from the playing field.
The Texans clearly did not miss him against Pittsburgh, as their dominant defense helped force the Steelers into their 7th consecutive playoff defeat dating back to the 2016 AFC Championship Game loss to the New England Patriots.
ESPN's research unit now faces serious scrutiny as the divisional round approaches. Playoff broadcasts demand absolute precision, and listing an inactive player as a starter represents the kind of error networks cannot afford when millions tune in for postseason football.
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- CJ Stroud has some work to do before the Divisional Round versus the Patriots