Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) heads to the locker room after the New Orleans Saints won 34-26 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Titans Coaching Staff Must Stop Holding Back Cam Ward

Originally posted on Tennessee Titans on SI
By Jordon Lawrenz | Last updated Jan 2, 2026 11:00 AM ET

If it wasn't clear before, it sure is now. Tennessee Titans play-caller Bo Hardegree recently spoke to the media where he said something that caught fans by surprise.

His quote on rookie quarterback Cam Ward was simple, "He's got the ability to be Superman, sometimes I need him to be Clark Kent."

Hardegree took over play-calling duties when former head coach Brian Callahan gave them up just a few weeks into the season. The offense has finally begun to put everything together, but it's clear Ward still has a much heigher ceiling than what he's currently stuck wtih.

There's no doubt Ward has made some mistakes this year, but most of which are due to his horrific set of receivers. If the team could actually surround him with NFL quality players, things will go down much differently.

Titans Need To Let Cam Ward Be Cam Ward

Titans play-caller Bo Hardegree on Cam Ward: He’s got the ability to be Superman, sometimes I need him to be Clark Kent pic.twitter.com/31DUhgEfWE
— Buck Reising (@BuckReising) January 1, 2026

It doesn't matter what Hardegree wants Ward to be, the Titans need to let Ward be who he truly is. That's what worked in high school and college, so why wouldn't it work that way in the NFL?

Ward is a rookie quarterback so there are obviously going to be some learning curves thrown his way. He's had to endure a change in play-callers and head coach, two things that no rookie should ever have to experience. It's made his journey a million times harder, but Ward is proving the grass is indeed greener on the other side.

He has eight touchdown passes to one interception in his last four games. Ward is showing his elusiveness in the pocket and is making Patrick Mahomes style throws. Clearly, Hardegree isn't always a fan of what Ward is doing, and that's a huge problem.

New Titans Coaching Staff Will Let Ward Ball Out

Can Ward said he will work with his private QB coach Darrell Colbert in the offseason. Said he will work out, watch tape and work on his mechanics.
— Terry McCormick (@terrymc13) December 31, 2025

Whoever the Titans decide to hire, they'll likely be a huge upgrade from McCoy, Hardegree, and offensive coordinator Nick Holz. There's a chance all three could remain on the coaching staff in some capacity, but Ward needs a complete overhaul going into the offseason.

The talent is clearly there, and sure, Ward could check the ball down a time or two, but that all comes with time. At the end of the day, he was the No. 1 pick for a reason. If Tennessee wants to hold him back and change the way he plays, there's no reason to ever believe this team is going to get anywhere. Soon enough, the league will be taken aback by just how impressive the former zero-star recruit truly is.

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

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