Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) exits the field after the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Titans’ Cam Ward Turned Down Lane Kiffin

Originally posted on Tennessee Titans on SI
By Jordon Lawrenz | Last updated Dec 4, 2025 2:38 PM ET

Loyalty means everything to Cam Ward, and that's exactly why the Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback chose Washington State over Ole Miss. It's a decision that not many players would make, but it's a decision that set Ward up to become the No. 1 overall pick.

With all the talk about Lane Kiffin going from Ole Miss to LSU, it was extremely interesting to hear his name brought up in "Zero Star: The Cam Ward Story". After winning the Jerry Rice award at Incarnate Word, Ward put the world on notice and began to field more calls than ever before. Even though Kiffin was on the phone, he chose the man who first took a chance on him, Eric Morris. Morris was his former coach at Incarnate Word and Ward had a chance to follow him to WSU.

Why Cam Ward Chose Eric Morris Over Lane Kiffin

Cam Ward Followed Eric Morris to UIW( FCS ) Then to Washington State. Now… AGAIN … Who you gonna Let Develop you …??? pic.twitter.com/t3oSFF1y5V
— Jason Smith (@JasonSmith_OL) December 15, 2024

Having already played with Morris at UIW, Ward knew what he was all about. Sure, Kiffin is a household name, but Ward's decision was a big one as it showed his loyalty and just how much he wanted to keep improving. No matter the grind, Ward chose the route that got him to where he is today.

"At that time I was on the phone with Cam, 'hey coach wait just a second, Lane Kiffin is FaceTiming me right now.' Obviously at that time, Ole Miss is offering a little bit better package for a kid to come play than Washington State was," Morris said. "But it was more about loyalty."

Morris continued, "Cam didn't listen to the numbers. He didn't listen to the houses he was going to live in, the cars he was going to drive, all those different things. He believed in what we were able to do with him development wise. He loved the offense and the ability to be in charge."

Using Washington State As A Stepping Stone

Once teammates at Washington State, Daiyan Henley and Cam Ward swapped jerseys after the game pic.twitter.com/jkvejFiIR6
— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) November 3, 2025

For Ward, WSU could've been the end game. He had always planned on playing there for roughly two years to show that he could hang in a Power 5 school. Even though there was no night life or anything to do in the surrounding area, Ward was fully focused on football and committed to getting himself to the next level.

The documentary also revealed that Ward nearly quit football in high school. Looking at that what if, and the possibility of him playing for Kiffin at Ole Miss, it's crazy to think what his career could've looked like had either of those two things become a reality.

This article first appeared on Tennessee Titans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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