Cam Ward's rookie campaign with the Titans ends in disappointing fashion

Cam Ward's rookie season in the NFL ended on a downward note. The No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft was injured in the first quarter Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars and did not finish the game. 

Ward, who had taken every snap for the Tennessee Titans this season, injured his shoulder diving for the end zone on a touchdown run in the first half. Despite the disappointing end to his season, Ward continued to improve as the season went on and threw for 3,117 yards.

"Cam's shoulder....we'll do more testing when we get back home," Titans interim head coach Mike McCoy said. "It stings that he got hurt in general. The way that he's played all year long and the way he's learned and grown as a player getting better. You don't ever want to see anybody getting injured. It's unfortunate."

Ward led the Hurricanes to a 10-3 record in 2024, throwing for 4,313 yards and 39 touchdowns. He finished fourth in the Heisman voting and won the Davey O'Brien Award as the top quarterback in the nation. In many ways, Ward set the table for what the Hurricanes have been able to accomplish this year under Carson Beck.

He is the first rookie quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards in Titans history, and he showed toughness all season, being sacked an NFL-high 55 times. Ward will be in the conversation for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and the Titans' lack of production on offense once he went down explains his value.

Tennessee will be one of the more interesting teams to follow in the offseason. The Titans will have another top-five draft pick to continue to build an offense around Ward. McCoy is unlikely to return as the head coach and, with Ward in the fold, the Titans job should be one of the most coveted among the openings in the league.