Will 'tough-love approach' turn Cam Ward into Titans' franchise QB?

While the Tennessee Titans made quarterback Cam Ward the first overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, head coach Brian Callahan had no intention of handing him the starting job ahead of the club's first preseason game. 

However, the situation changed when it was learned shortly before the start of training camp that 2023 second-round draft pick Will Levis needed season-ending shoulder surgery. That development ended any supposed competition and made Ward the Titans' QB1 for their regular-season opener at the Denver Broncos on Sept. 7. 

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer noted Tuesday that Callahan, offensive coordinator Nick Holz and the rest of the Tennessee coaching staff "have used a tough-love approach with Ward" to ensure he is "running full speed" in time for Week 1.

"In one practice, they ran 15 consecutive third-down reps, and the offensive coaches had (defensive coordinator) Dennard Wilson throw the kitchen sink at him," Breer wrote about the Titans testing Ward during training camp. "Ward responded with a square jaw."

Previous stories detailed how veteran Titans players had already embraced Ward as a leader, partly because the first-year pro had instructed "several rookies to arrive between 4:30 and 5:00 each morning" during camp for pre-practice meetings. Ward also hasn't backed down from engaging in trash talk with older teammates on the practice field. 

"The football IQ and work ethic pieces are there," Breer added about Ward. 

Ward played in Tennessee's preseason opener at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday and completed five of eight passes for 67 yards. The Athletic's Ted Nguyen later pointed out that "Ward looked comfortable and displayed the natural feel for the game that made him the NFL Draft’s top pick" versus Tampa Bay. 

The Titans will face the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Friday. 

As of Wednesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook lists Ward second among the betting favorites at +350 odds to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty tops the list at +275 odds. 

Ward has claimed he's using these odds as bulletin-board material heading into the matchup vs. Denver.