He played college football for the Troy Trojans and was selected by the Dallas Cowboys with the 11th overall pick in the first round of the 2005 NFL draft.

After spending nine seasons with the Cowboys, Ware departed in 2013 as the franchise's all-time leader in quarterback sacks with 117.

Ware then played three seasons for the Denver Broncos, with whom he won Super Bowl 50 over the Carolina Panthers.

In track & field, Ware was one of the state's top performers in the long jump (PB of 7.14 meters).

In 2004, he helped lead his team to the school's first-ever bowl appearance, the Silicon Valley Football Classic.

[10] He was supposed to be a perfect fit as a rush linebacker in a 3–4 defense prior to the 2005 NFL draft and was projected to go early in the second round by Sports Illustrated.

[11] Prospect Marcus Spears was considered by head coach Bill Parcells to be the key to the team's eventual move to a 3–4 defense and wanted to take him with the first selection (11th overall pick).

[18] In his NFL debut against the San Diego Chargers, Ware posted three tackles, one for a loss, and one quarterback pressure.

[26] In Week 6 against division rival Eagles, Ware had a memorable moment with his 69-yard fumble return for his first career NFL touchdown.

[27] He recorded his first career interception against Michael Vick in a game against the Atlanta Falcons and returned it for a 41-yard touchdown.

[29] Ware broke out with his 2007 season, leading new Cowboys' head coach Wade Phillips to call him the best outside linebacker in the league.

[32] He was selected to the All-Pro team for the second straight year along with teammates, Terrell Owens and Jason Witten.

[citation needed] Ware finished the 2008 season as the league leader in sacks for the first time in his career.

Two months later, Ware suffered a neck injury and was taken off the field by a cart while playing against the San Diego Chargers.

[47] He made his fourth consecutive appearance in the Pro Bowl as a starter in 2009, after leading the Cowboys with 11.0 sacks, a career-high 45 pressures, and five forced fumbles.

He tied Mark Gastineau, 1983–84; Reggie White, 1987–88; Kevin Greene, 1994, 1996; Michael Strahan, 2001, 2003; and Jared Allen, 2007, 2011.

[64] At the end of the 2012 season, Ware finished with 11.5 sacks, five forced fumbles and was selected to his seventh Pro Bowl and was named to the Second All-Pro team.

[69] On the Cowboys's first play of the 2013 regular season, Ware recorded an interception off of Eli Manning in the 36–31 victory over the New York Giants.

[70] In Week 3 against the St. Louis Rams, he became the Cowboys' all-time sack leader, surpassing Harvey Martin's 30-year-old record of 114.

[72] After nine seasons with the Cowboys, Ware was released on March 11, 2014, making him a free agent for the first time in his career.

[73] On March 12, 2014, one day following his release from the Cowboys, Ware signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Denver Broncos.

He played 16 games, of which he started 15, finishing the season with 41 tackles, 10 sacks, one interception, one pass defensed, and two forced fumbles.

[88] In Week 2 against the Colts, Ware left the game with an apparent arm injury as he was trying to bring down quarterback Andrew Luck.

Ware is tied with Mark Gastineau, 1983–84; Reggie White, 1987–88; Kevin Greene, 1994, 1996; Michael Strahan, 2001, 2003; Jared Allen, 2007, 2011; and J. J. Watt, 2012, 2015.

[96] In 2012, NFL.com analyst Daniel Jeremiah ranked Ware as the best edge pass rusher in the league and a "top-five player in the NFL, regardless of position".

[98] Ware recorded 28 multiple-sack games and 32 forced fumbles as a member of the Dallas Cowboys, both most in club history.

[102] Ware and Arnold were eliminated on the seventh week of competition, finishing in joint-seventh place alongside John Schneider and his professional partner Emma Slater.

God is my purpose and I place all my hope and trust in who He is.”[105] In March 2005, Ware married his high school sweetheart, Taniqua Smith, a former Air Force member and the daughter of a police officer.

After three difficult pregnancies, including the birth and death of a son, Omar, in 2006, they adopted their daughter, Marley.