Cam Ward Clarifies Reaction to Titans HC’s Controversial Decision

That frustration only grew moments later. Hekker’s punt traveled just 22 yards, and on the next play, Colts running back Jonathan Taylor broke free for an 80-yard touchdown, extending the lead to 24-7 and effectively sealing the Titans’ fate.

After the game, Ward made it clear that his reaction was driven by his desire to compete, not to challenge his coach.

“I think I'm a competitor,” he said. “Our whole offense is like that. Our whole defense is like that. … I just think the biggest thing is we want to be an aggressive team. Especially with the record we have right now, we have to be an aggressive team at the end of the season to get where we want to be.”

Ward acknowledged that, while he disagreed with punting, the team’s failure came earlier in the sequence.

“I just think it's a missed opportunity for us as a team to get a first down and keep the drive moving,” he said. “We weren't down that much at that time. So, we're going to always support whatever decision is made, but at the end of the day, we shouldn't put ourselves in that position. We should get the first down on third down.”

McCoy Defends His Call But Admits Regret Afterward

For McCoy, who is in just his second game as Tennessee’s interim coach following Brian Callahan’s firing, the decision came down to conventional field position logic. He explained that punting seemed like the safer play at the time given how his defense had performed during the second quarter.

“It was something we talked about,” McCoy said. “You know, hindsight, you look back and the last thing I thought they were going to do was have the big touchdown run after that. So yeah, I got it. You look back and say, ‘I should have gone for that.’ But initially when I said to punt it, you pin them deep, and the defense had done nice through the second quarter.”

Unfortunately for Tennessee, the plan unraveled immediately. The punt failed to pin the Colts deep, and Taylor’s long touchdown run erased any potential momentum.

Ward finished the game completing 22 of 38 passes for 259 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Despite flashes of potential, his rookie campaign has been marked by instability — two different play callers, two head coaches, and a struggling supporting cast.

The Titans’ only victory this season came in a narrow 22-21 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 5. Since then, they’ve lost every game by double digits.

For Ward, the second half of the season will likely be more about development than results. Still, his passion on the sideline underscores a larger issue for Tennessee: a talented young quarterback eager to win, playing on a team still trying to figure out how.