Tennessee's rookie quarterback Cam Ward says he's been leaning on a Hall of Fame voice during a choppy first half of his debut season: Peyton Manning.
Ward told reporters that he has a relationship with Manning — who also struggled as a rookie — and that the two-time Super Bowl winner's core advice has been simple: "continue to be yourself... lead the guys... and play football how I know how to play."
Cam Ward has a relationship with Payton Manning who also struggled as a rookie. Ward said Manning mainly told him to be himself regardless of the losing. Ward said he feels he's still getting better even though they continue to lose. pic.twitter.com/e6pVPi0enL
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) October 27, 2025
That counsel feels especially relevant as Ward rides the learning curve that almost every first-year starter encounters. The Titans' offense has shown flashes but this season has been a mess for Tennessee. Manning endured a similar situation in 1998 before his trajectory spiked the very next season.
Manning's rookie tape is a reminder that short-term pain is often part of the progression. He set what remains the NFL record for interceptions by a rookie (28) while starting all 16 games for a 3-13 Colts team, yet he followed that with a 13-3 turnaround in 1999 as his efficiency jumped and the supporting cast grew. For Ward, that would certainly be the best case scenario. The Titans have already fired their head coach from the start of the season, Brian Callahan, and most likely want to make sure that Ward's confidence isn't destroyed by the end of the year.
Also, Manning isn't the only example of a geat QB with a rough rookie season. Tons of NFL greats/Hall-of-very-good players didn't start their careers so hot. And that's not to mention the other batch of rookie QB's in the history of the NFL who held a clipboard before seeing the field.
Peyton Manning — 1998 rookie season
- Games/Starts: 16/16
- Record: 3-13
- Completions/Attempts: 326/575
- Completion %: 56.7
- Passing Yards: 3,739
- Yards/Attempt: 6.5
- TD–INT: 26-28 (NFL rookie INT record)
- Passer Rating: 71.2
Cam Ward — 2025 rookie season through Week 8
- Games/Starts: 8/8
- Record: 1-7
- Completions/Attempts: 158/274
- Completion %: 57.7%
- Passing Yards: 1,615
- Yards/Attempt: 5.9
- TD–INT: 5-6
- Passer Rating: 71.7