Titans' Cam Ward Shows Love for Will Levis After Injury News

If Cam Ward somehow wasn't the Tennessee Titans' starting quarterback already, then he certainly is now.

On Monday, the Titans announced that Will Levis, who started 21 games over the past two seasons, would undergo season-ending surgery on his throwing shoulder. Levis was likely to be Ward's backup, but Titans head coach Brian Callahan maintained that there was an ongoing quarterback competition (even if no one really believed it).

Following the news of Levis' surgery, Ward sent well wishes to his fellow quarterback and de facto mentor.

"I really didn't have a reaction. I focus on Cam Ward," Ward told reporters Wednesday. “He made what’s best for him. I really can’t be mad at somebody for doing what’s best for him. I wish him a speedy recovery.

“I’m hoping to see him in the building a lot more. He helped me in OTAs learning the install and everything. He’s a good football player. When he’s ready and healthy, he’ll have his chance at the field.”

Initially, only the first two sentences of Ward's comments made the rounds, which drew a wide range of reactions. However, the full comments paint an entirely different picture, and show Ward's maturity in looking after his teammate.

While Levis' injury is a massive blow to both him and the Titans, Ward feels he's ready to jump into the starting role.

"I've been waiting on opportunity," Ward said. "So you know I'm blessed. Not a lot of people get a chance to do what they love. So every time I wake up, I get a chance to step on the field and I'm excited whether it's a good or bad day. You just got to take the wins with the losses."

Ward, 23, dominated last season at Miami, throwing for 4,313 yards and 39 touchdowns with only seven interceptions while completing 67.2 percent of his passes. Additionally, he may not be a dominant dual-threat quarterback, but he rushed for a respectable 204 yards (sacks count against rushing yards in college) and four touchdowns last season.

The Texas native is undoubtedly entering a tough situation with Tennessee, which finished 3-14 last season. That's par for the course with No. 1 picks, though, and Ward has the ability to be the Titans' franchise quarterback if they develop him properly.

Ward will make his NFL regular season debut on Sept. 7, when the Titans travel to face the Denver Broncos.